US seeks to deploy hypersonic missile for the first time against Iran

The US Central Command has asked to send the Army’s long-delayed Dark Eagle hypersonic missile to the Middle East for possible use against Iran, seeking a longer-range system to hit ballistic-missile launchers deep inside the country.

If approved, it would mark the first time the US will have deployed its hypersonic missile, which is running far behind schedule and has not been declared fully operational even as Russia and China have deployed their own versions.

The Request for Forces submission justifies the move by saying Iran has moved its launchers out of range of the Precision Strike Missile, a weapon that can hit targets at more than 480km, a person with direct knowledge of the request said.

Dark Eagle, also known as the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon, or LRHW, has a reported range of more than 2,780km, although its exact capabilities are secret.

It is designed to glide to its target at more than five times the speed of sound and can maneuver to avoid interception.

Each Lockheed Martin missile costs about US$15 million (S$19 million), and there are no more than eight missiles, the person said.