The United States Army expects to field the Dark Eagle, its Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LHA), in early 2026.
The service in December 2025 officially stood up the first unit that will operate the missile system at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, calling it a “pivotal moment in the Army’s ability to deliver decisive effects in support of the Joint Force across the Indo-Pacific,” according to a news release. Once delivery of the entire missile battery is complete, Dark Eagle will become the first operational U.S. hypersonic weapon.
“Fielding activities include the required integration, safety and readiness steps to ensure Soldiers receive a system that is reliable, sustainable and effective in operational environments and are on track for completion in early 2026,” a U.S. Army spokesperson told news website DefenseScoop.
The Department of War (DOW) is prioritizing the rapid development of hypersonic systems to maintain a definitive technological advantage over China and Russia. The term refers to two types of weapons under U.S. development: hypersonic boost-glide vehicles (HGVs), which are launched by rocket into the upper atmosphere before gliding to a target, and hypersonic cruise missiles (HCMs), which are powered by high-speed, air-breathing engines at lower altitudes, according to a February 2025 report by the Congressional Research Service. Dark Eagle is a trailer-launched HGV that can travel long distances at speeds greater than the threshold for hypersonic speed, which is Mach 5 (more than 6,000 kilometers per hour). The same missile architecture is being adopted by the Navy for sea-launch as the Intermediate Range Conventional Prompt Strike weapon system.
“Hypersonic weapons incorporate the speed of a ballistic missile with the maneuvering capabilities of a cruise missile,” according to the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance. The weapon’s maneuverability, sometimes described as erratic, makes it difficult to track and intercept. “This makes it an ideal weapon for striking high-priority and time-sensitive targets that are extremely well-defended. This includes critical air defenses, command and control nodes, and enemy sensor systems, among other targets,” according to a December 2025 report by military news website The War Zone (TWZ).
A Dark Eagle battery consists of four trailer-mounted transporter erector launchers — each equipped with two missiles plus canisters — as well as a battery operations center and support vehicle, according to Defense Scoop.
“As the Army moves toward completion of fielding, it remains focused on rigorous testing, training and system maturity to support successful operational employment,” the U.S. Army spokesperson told Defense Scoop.
The Dark Eagle has a 3,500-kilometer range, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Francisco Lozano, director of Hypersonic, Directed Energy, Space and Rapid Acquisition told Secretary of War Pete Hegseth during a December 2025 event at the U.S. Army’s Redstone Arsenal in Alabama. Lozano said the Dark Eagle could hit “mainland China from Guam.” The weapon, developed by Lockheed Martin, was previously said to have at least a 2,775-kilometer range, according to TWZ.