US cancels flight test of long-range hypersonic weapon

The US scrapped a test of what’s meant to be the Army’s first hypersonic missile in its arsenal, a setback as the US looks to catch up with China for a crucial weapon of the future, Report informs referring to Bloomberg.

“The department planned to conduct a flight test at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida to inform our hypersonic technology development but as a result of pre-flight checks the test did not occur,” the Defense Department said in a statement to Bloomberg News, referring to the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon.

It didn’t say what led the test to be canceled. Yet the decision raises questions about the program’s schedule and whether the Army can meet its goal of declaring the weapon initially combat capable by September 30, which would also mark the Pentagon’s first hypersonic weapon.