I’m not sure what the implication of this meme is, but I found the quote:
The FY24 PB requests $150.3 million of Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) funding to complete the Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) AGM-183A rapid prototyping program. While the Air Force does not currently intend to pursue follow-on procurement of ARRW once the prototyping program concludes, there is inherent benefit to completing the All-Up Round (AUR) Test Flights (ATFs) to garner the learning and test data that will help inform future hypersonic programs and, potential leave behind capability support.
Also from the same guy:
There are different approaches to delivering hypersonic capability. And we have not ruled out any of those approaches for the Air Force in the future,”
So they did tell this subcommittee they would keep doing the tests (November). And in the 2024 article, it says these are still test ones, and they still haven’t announced intentions to officially buy any.
“The [ARRW] program intends to conduct additional testing in FY24”
But each one of those things is around 15 million dollars…
Low volume + first of its kind = $$$
True, but Russia leaned into the tech earlier, and the Kinzhal unit cost is still $10MM - the primary target of hypersonics is defense budgets
Are they still uding them? I haven’t heard anything about those since probably 2022
A slow trickle as the factory builds more, but yes they blew most of their stocks in the first 18 months
dw, the USAF are just trying it out for “fun”. If it’s interesting, they might bring it along on their next overseas vacation.
