Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile

Australian-American air-launched hypersonic cruise missile

Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM)

Type| Hypersonic air-launched cruise missile
Place of origin| United States
Australia
Service history
In service| In development
Used by| United States Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
Production history
Designer| RTX Corporation
Northrop Grumman
Specifications

* * *

Engine| Scramjet

Operational
range

| 1,000 nmi (1,900 km)[1][2]
Maximum speed | Mach 8 (2.7 km/s; 9,800 km/h; 6,100 mph)[2][3][4]

Launch
platform

| F-15E Strike Eagle[5]
F/A-18F Super Hornet[6]
EA-18G Growler[7]
F-35A Lightning II[8]
P-8A Poseidon[9]

The Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM; pronounced Hack-em[10]) is an Australian-American scramjet-powered hypersonic air-launched cruise missile project, the successor of the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) and the SCIFiRE hypersonic programs.[11]

Technology developed for the HAWC demonstrator was used to influence the design of the HACM, a U.S. Air Force Program of Record to create a scramjet-powered hypersonic missile it could deploy as an operational weapon.[12]

In December 2021, Raytheon Technologies was awarded a $985 million contract to continue its HACM development.[13]

The contract to develop HACM further was awarded to Raytheon in September 2022.[14] HACM will use a Northrop Grumman scramjet.[15][16] It is designed to be smaller than the AGM-183 ARRW and able to fly along “vastly different trajectories” than the boost-glide ARRW. [17]

The system will give the US military "tactical flexibility to employ fighters to hold high-value, time-sensitive targets at risk, while maintaining bombers for other strategic targets."[5][18][19][20] Following the U.S. Air Force's decision to not pursue procurement of ARRW in March 2023, the HACM became the service's only hypersonic weapon program.[21] Though the USAF confirmed that they would not be purchasing any hypersonic weapons in FY 2024, the budget request for the upcoming fiscal year includes $380 million for R&D on the HACM,[13] followed by a proposed $517 million in FY 2025.[17] The United States hopes to have the missile in operational capacity by FY 2027.[22]

The United States Air Force has stated that Australian testing facilities will be used for testing of HACM.[23][24]

In Australian service, the projectile will become the fastest missile Australia has ever operated, and the first hypersonic missile.[citation needed]

## Future Operators

[edit]

United States

* United States Air Force

In future American service, it has been indicated that the F-15E Strike Eagle will be the sole carrier of the missile.[15]

Australia

* Royal Australian Air Force

Australia has indicated that their allocation of the future missiles will first be deployed on the F/A-18F Super Hornets, followed by usage on the EA-18G Growler, F-35A Lightning II and the P-8A Poseidon.[25]

## See also

[edit]

* Hypersonic Air Launched Offensive Anti-Surface
* 3M22 Zircon
* ASALM
* Kh-90
* ASN4G

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Trevithick, Joseph (December 27, 2023). "B52 needs new pylons to carry max load of hypersonic missiles". The Warzone.
2. ^ a b Tegler, Eric. "Is DOD's approach to buying hypersonic weapons too expensive?". Forbes.
3. ^ "U.S. Hypersonic Weapons and Alternatives" (PDF). Congressional Budget Office.
4. ^ "Hypersonic missile integration with aircraft". August 14, 2023. Archived from the original on September 29, 2023. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
5. ^ a b Bugos, Shannon. "First U.S. Hypersonic Deployment on Track for 2023". ArmsControl.org.
6. ^ "Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile to be integrated on RAAF Super Hornets - Australian Defence Magazine". www.australiandefence.com.au. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
7. ^ https://www.airforce.gov.au/our-work/projects-and-programs/scifire-hypersonics
8. ^ https://www.airforce.gov.au/our-work/projects-and-programs/scifire-hypersonics
9. ^ https://www.airforce.gov.au/our-work/projects-and-programs/scifire-hypersonics
10. ^ "Hypersonics". www.rtx.com. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
11. ^ "Air Force announces hypersonic missile contract award". Eglin Air Force Base.[dead link]
12. ^ "Successful HAWC Test Doesn't End DARPA's Hypersonic Scramjet Efforts". Air Force Magazine. July 22, 2022.
13. ^ a b Leone, Dario (March 22, 2023). "The USAF Won't Purchase Hypersonic Missiles in 2024". The Aviation Geek Club. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
14. ^ "US Air Force selects Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Northrop Grumman to deliver first hypersonic air-breathing missile". RTX.com. September 22, 2022.
15. ^ a b "Raytheon/Northrop Grumman team selected for HACM hypersonic weapon". Janes Information Services. September 26, 2022. Archived from the original on September 26, 2022.
16. ^ "US Air Force Selects Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Northrop Grumman to Deliver First Hypersonic Air-Breathing Missile". Northrop Grumman Newsroom.
17. ^ a b Losey, Stephen (March 19, 2024). "US Air Force conducts final test of Lockheed's hypersonic missile". Defense News. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
18. ^ "First U.S. Hypersonic Deployment on Track for 2023 | Arms Control Association". www.armscontrol.org. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
19. ^ Losey, Stephen (March 28, 2023). "ARRW hypersonic missile test failed, US Air Force admits". C4ISRNet. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
20. ^ Audrey Decker (28 Mar 2023) Failed Hypersonic Test Dims Air Force View of Lockheed Missile Air Force R&D funding for ARRW and HACM tests is $150 million and $380 million, respectively. "ARRW and HACM are just two of the U.S. military's hypersonic efforts; in all, the Pentagon is requesting $11 billion for hypersonic R&D in 2024"
21. ^ Air Force Pulls Plug On Much-Hyped Hypersonic Missile. The Drive/The War Zone. 30 March 2023.
22. ^ "Air Force announces hypersonic missile contract award". Air Force. September 22, 2022. Retrieved July 17, 2024.[dead link]
23. ^ "Air Force announces hypersonic missile contract award". Air Force. September 22, 2022. Retrieved July 17, 2024.[dead link]
24. ^ Trevithick, Joseph (June 18, 2024). "Australian F/A-18F Super Hornets To Test Launch U.S. Air Force's Hypersonic Cruise Missiles". The War Zone. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
25. ^ https://www.airforce.gov.au/our-work/projects-and-programs/scifire-hypersonics

* v
* t
* e

Current and future missiles of Australia

Land-attack|

* BGM-109 Tomahawk
* AGM-88E AARGM
* AGM-142 Popeye
* AGM-158 JASSM
* GBU-53/B StormBreaker

Anti-ship|

* RGM-184A Naval Strike Missile
* AGM-158C LRASM
* AGM-119 Penguin
* RGM-84 Harpoon

Ballistic missiles|

* MGM-140 ATACMS
* GMLRS

Anti-tank|

* FGM-148 Javelin
* Spike-LR-2
* AGM-114 Hellfire-2
* WGU-59 APKWS

Air defence|

* AIM-9 Sidewinder
* AIM-120-C-7 AMRAAM
* AIM-132 ASRAAM
* RIM-162 ESSM
* AIM-7 Sparrow
* SM-2MR
* RIM-174 Standard ERAM SM-6

Future procurements|

* AGM-158 JASSM-ER
* Joint Strike Missile
* SM-2 IIIC
* Precision Strike Missile Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile

* v
* t
* e

1963 United States Tri-Service missile designations, 1963–present

1–50|

* MGM-1
* RIM-2
* MIM-3
* AIM-4
* MGM-5
* RGM-6
* AIM-7
* RIM-7
* RIM-8
* AIM-9
* CIM-10
* PGM-11
* AGM-12
* CGM-13/MGM-13
* MIM-14
* RGM-15
* CGM-16
* PGM-17
* MGM-18
* PGM-19
* ADM-20
* MGM-21
* AGM-22
* MIM-23
* RIM-24
* HGM-25A
* LGM-25C
* AIM-26
* UGM-27
* AGM-28
* MGM-29
* LGM-30
* MGM-31A/B (MGM-31C)
* MGM-32
* MQM-33
* AQM-34
* AQM-35 (I)
* LGM-35 (II)
* MQM-36
* AQM-37
* AQM-38
* MQM-39
* MQM-40
* AQM-41
* MQM-42
* FIM-43
* UUM-44
* AGM-45
* MIM-46
* AIM-47
* AGM-48
* XLIM-49
* LIM-49
* RIM-50

51–100|

* MGM-51
* MGM-52
* AGM-53
* AIM-54
* RIM-55
* PQM-56
* MQM-57
* MQM-58
* RGM-59
* AQM-60
* MQM-61
* AGM-62
* AGM-63
* AGM-64
* AGM-65
* RIM-66
* RIM-67
* AIM-68
* AGM-69
* LEM-70
* BGM-71
* MIM-72
* UGM-73
* BQM-74
* BGM-75
* AGM-76
* FGM-77
* AGM-78
* AGM-79
* AGM-80
* AQM-81
* AIM-82
* AGM-83
* AGM-84/RGM-84/UGM-84
* AGM-84E
* AGM-84H/K
* RIM-85
* AGM-86
* AGM-87
* AGM-88
* UGM-89
* BQM-90
* AQM-91
* FIM-92
* "AIM-92"
* XQM-93
* YQM-94
* AIM-95
* UGM-96
* AIM-97
* YQM-98
* LIM-99
* LIM-100

101–150|

* RIM-101
* PQM-102
* AQM-103
* MIM-104
* MQM-105
* BQM-106
* MQM-107
* BQM-108
* AGM-109/BGM-109/RGM-109/UGM-109
* BGM-109G
* BGM-110
* BQM-111
* AGM-112
* RIM-113
* AGM-114
* MIM-115
* RIM-116
* FQM-117
* LGM-118
* AGM-119
* AIM-120
* CQM-121/CGM-121
* AGM-122
* AGM-123
* AGM-124
* RUM-125/UUM-125
* BQM-126
* AQM-127
* AQM-128
* AGM-129
* AGM-130
* AGM-131
* AIM-132
* UGM-133
* MGM-134
* ASM-135
* AGM-136
* AGM-137
* CEM-138
* RUM-139
* MGM-140
* ADM-141
* AGM-142
* MQM-143
* ADM-144
* BQM-145
* MIM-146
* BQM-147
* FGM-148
* PQM-149
* PQM-150

151–200|

* FQM-151
* AIM-152
* AGM-153
* AGM-154
* BQM-155
* RIM-156
* MGM-157
* AGM-158A/B
* AGM-158C
* AGM-159
* ADM-160
* RIM-161
* RIM-162
* GQM-163
* MGM-164
* RGM-165
* MGM-166
* BQM-167
* MGM-168
* AGM-169
* MQM-170
* MQM-171
* FGM-172
* GQM-173
* RIM-174
* AIM-174B
* MQM-175
* AGM-176
* BQM-177
* MQM-178
* AGM-179
* AGM-180
* AGM-181
* LGM-182
* AGM-183
* RGM-184
* MQM-185
* MQM-186
* AGM-187

201–|

* AIM-260
* MIM-401

Undesignated|

* Aequare
* ASALM
* Brazo
* Common Missile
* GBI
* GLSDB
* HACM
* HALO
* Have Dash
* JSM
* KEI
* LREW
* LRHW
* M30 GMLRS/M31 GMLRS-U
* MA-31
* MSDM
* NCADE
* NLOS
* OpFires
* PrSM
* Senior Prom
* Sprint
* SiAW
* Wagtail

* See also:
* United States tri-service rocket designations post-1963
* Drones designated in UAV sequence

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