(Bloomberg) — U.S. Central Command has asked to send the military’s long-delayed Dark Eagle hypersonic missile to the Middle East for possible use against Iran, where it is seeking a longer-range system to hit ballistic missile launchers deep inside the country.
If approved, it would mark the first time the US has deployed its hypersonic missile, which is running far behind schedule and has not been declared fully operational, although Russia and China have deployed their own versions.
The force request justifies the move by saying Iran has moved its launchers out of range of the Precision Strike Missile, a weapon that can hit targets more than 300 miles away, a person with direct knowledge of the request said.
The person asked not to be identified discussing the request, which has not been made public. No decision has yet been made on the request, the person said. US Central Command declined to comment.
A cease-fire between the US and Iran has been in place since April 9, but the request suggests the US is preparing for further strikes if President Donald Trump decides to continue. Both sides used the time to rearm and plan, according to Bloomberg Economics head of defense Becca Wasser, who said “future rounds of fighting may be more deadly.”
The decision, if approved, would also send a signal to strategic adversaries Russia and China that the US is finally able to match a capability it has long mastered.
The Dark Eagle, also known as the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon or LRHW, has a reported range of more than 1,725 miles, although its exact capabilities are secret. It is designed to glide towards its target at more than five times the speed of sound and can maneuver to avoid capture.
The weapon was designed to combat Chinese or Russian advanced air defenses. Every Lockheed Martin Corp. missile it costs about $15 million and there are no more than eight missiles, the person said.
The Government Accountability Office said each battery would cost about $2.7 billion.
The US has already converted most of its supply of stealth JASSM-ER missiles, also designed for close-range combat, to the fight against Iran. About 1,100 rockets have been fired in the conflict so far.
The US has said it has local air superiority, meaning its planes can operate in parts of Iran without facing much threat. But dozens of MQ-9s plus several manned fighters were shot down, showing that other parts of Iranian airspace remain dangerous.
–With help from Tony Capaccio.
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