WASHINGTON — April 30, 2026 : The U.S. Air Force has formally reinstated development of the AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW), reversing its 2023 decision to terminate the program. The move is outlined in the Fiscal Year 2027 Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) budget request, which seeks $345.7 million to fund continued hypersonic weapon development and initiate a new Air-Launched Ballistic Missile (ALBM) derived from ARRW architecture.
Budget Allocation and Program Scope
According to budget justification documents, $296 million of the FY2027 request is allocated to ARRW Increment 2. This phase includes pre-planned product improvements, design and trade studies, hardware upgrades, facilitization, affordability initiatives, and continued testing. The Air Force stated that these efforts are intended to mature the system and support future acquisition decisions.
An additional $49 million is designated for the establishment of a new program office and early design activities for the ALBM variant. The funding will support progression toward a critical design review and initial system definition for the derivative missile.
The service has outlined a broader multi-year investment plan totaling approximately $1.757 billion between FY2027 and FY2030. Planned funding includes $548 million in FY2028, $620 million in FY2029, and $242 million in FY2030, indicating sustained commitment to the ARRW portfolio.
Program Background and Reinstatement
The AGM-183A ARRW, developed by Lockheed Martin, is a conventional air-launched boost-glide hypersonic weapon designed for long-range prompt strike missions. It uses a solid rocket booster to accelerate a glide vehicle to hypersonic speeds before maneuvering toward high-value, time-sensitive targets.
The program encountered multiple setbacks during its initial testing phase, including three failed launches in 2021 and an additional anomaly on March 13, 2023. Following these events, the Air Force informed lawmakers in March 2023 that it would not proceed with further development beyond completing the test campaign. Funding was subsequently reduced to a single procurement unit to conclude testing, while emphasis shifted to the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM) program.
Despite this, program activity continued at a limited level. In September 2024, the Pentagon awarded an additional $13.4 million in RDT&E funding to Lockheed Martin, bringing the total program value to approximately $1.3 billion at that time. Two Acquisition Decision Memorandums (ADMs), signed on March 18, 2025, and March 5, 2026, established a Middle-Tier Acquisition (MTA) pathway for the program’s continuation.
In June 2025, then-Chief of Staff David Allvin indicated during testimony before the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) that the Air Force was advancing two hypersonic initiatives, including the larger, long-range ARRW system that had already undergone multiple flight tests.
ALBM Development and Technology Objectives
The proposed ALBM program will build directly on ARRW technologies, integrating Air Force and other system capabilities to develop a long-range air-launched ballistic strike option. Budget documents state that the initiative is intended to mature hypersonic technologies for rapid testing and early production decisions, complementing existing and future strike systems.
The Air Force emphasized that continued ARRW prototyping is necessary to collect flight data, refine engineering processes, and advance modeling, simulation, and high-performance computing capabilities. These efforts are expected to support broader hypersonic development across the service.
Platform Integration and Operational Expansion
The FY2027 budget request also confirms ongoing integration of the ARRW onto the B-1B Lancer bomber, expanding beyond its previous exclusive deployment from the B-52H Stratofortress. This effort is part of the Hypersonic Integration Program.
Recent imagery released by Edwards Air Force Base on April 29, 2026, showed a B-1B carrying an AGM-183A ARRW externally for the first time in publicly available material. The aircraft was equipped with a Load Adaptable Modular (LAM) pylon, demonstrating its ability to carry a 5,000-pound class weapon.
The integration of ARRW and its derivative ALBM onto the B-1B is intended to increase payload flexibility and expand long-range strike options within the bomber fleet.
Strategic Context
The FY2027 budget positions the ARRW as part of a broader hypersonic development strategy that includes infrastructure modernization, digital engineering, and open systems architecture. While the budget documents do not specify production quantities or initial operational capability timelines, they emphasize continued testing and technology maturation as key objectives for future decision-making.
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