With the Dark Eagle systems at the ready—outside the range of China’s A2/AD systems—the United States can launch a second strike, targeting Chinese military installations that are otherwise well-defended.
A secretive launch of a previously-unknown missile system took place in the morning hours of Friday, April 25, at the iconic launch facilities of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The launch was shrouded in mystery, as it was conducted on behalf of the United States Department of Defense rather than the civilian-run NASA.
Many have speculated that the launch was of the United States Army’s newest weapon—a hypersonic missile that goes by the name of “Dark Eagle.”
America is Behind in the Race for Hypersonic Weapons
If that’s true, the test couldn’t come soon enough. America’s enemies—chiefly Russia and China—have already developed their own, highly advanced hypersonic weapons. Russia leads the world in practical hypersonic weapons technology, possessing multiple variants of hypersonic missiles. China isn’t far behind them, with the world’s most advanced wind tunnel for testing hypersonic vehicles. Even Iran and North Korea are rumored to have rudimentary hypersonic weapons in their arsenals today.
The Americans, however, have lagged well behind these rivals. Thankfully, the Pentagon is (slowly) catching up. The Army’s Dark Eagle is a key step toward the country acquiring its own capability to challenge those of rivals.
What We Know About the Dark Eagle Missile
Rick Neale of Florida Today, which broke the story of the launch early on Friday, speculated that the test might be of the Army’s Dark Eagle project. While the Pentagon has neither confirmed nor denied these claims, there is a pattern here that suggests that is precisely what this launch was an example of.
In December of last year, the Army and Navy conducted a similarly unannounced, successful test of the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon system from Complex 46 at the Space Force installation.
The Army’s Dark Eagle hypersonic weapon system is designed to be deployed just over the horizon, out of range of enemy air defenses. These systems are meant to penetrate enemy territory and obliterate strategic targets that more conventional weapons would be prevented from hitting because of the rise of capabilities like anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD). And the Dark Eagle missiles are believed to travel five times the speed of sound, complicating any efforts to intercept them.
Strategists believe that deploying these weapons will be key in any conflict against China, which likely has the world’s most comprehensive and advanced A2/AD capabilities spread throughout the Indo-Pacific. These A2/AD networks are specifically designed to stunt traditional forms of US power projection during any crisis with the Americans. Chinese A2/AD systems would likely keep the U.S. Navy’s vaunted carriers just out-of-range, lest the defenses of those carriers be overwhelmed by the weapons swarms that China will lob at them.
China can also do significant damage to U.S. airbases in the region with their A2/AD networks. With the Dark Eagle systems at the ready—outside the range of China’s A2/AD systems—the United States can launch a second strike, targeting Chinese military installations that are otherwise well-defended.
So the Americans will have the ability to use those new hypersonic weapons to be combat-effective, even as the bulk of their ordinary power projection platforms will be nullified by China’s A2/AD systems.
Is the Dark Eagle Too Little, Too Late?
Of course, the question now becomes when can this system be available for deployment and can it be mass produced in any meaningful way in the next year or two? Because, if the experts’ projections are true, that’s roughly when China is the most likely to make some bold move against Taiwan.
Judging from the status of America’s sclerotic defense industrial base, it’d be safe to say that the U.S. won’t be able to produce these systems in any meaningful timetable.
Then again, the way that the Army is apparently fast-tracking the testing of this system, there is a chance that the Pentagon understands the importance of Dark Eagle and is pulling out all the stops to meet the need for this system.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a contributor at Popular Mechanics, who consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Shutterstock / Artsiom P.
