Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW)
The Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) project integrated Air Force and DARPA enabled system technologies enabled this concept to be fielded as a long range prompt strike capability. ARRW designed, developed, manufactured, and tested a number of prototype vehicles to inform decisions concerning ARRW acquisition and production. Future hypersonics development will incubate, mature, and integrate new technologies, processes, and resources for the development and demonstration of hypersonic technology including, but not limited to, infrastructure advancements, digital engineering, open systems architecture, modeling and simulation, analytics, and high performance computing environments. Additionally, future developments will look to mature and integrate existing technologies to improve performance and capability of hypersonic weapons. Investing in hypersonics development will enable the collection of valuable data, building of capacity and capability, allowing hypersonic programs to leverage and build upon each other, and project the overall technology forward. In FY 2022, PE 0101101F, Project ARRW00/AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon, efforts were transferred to PE 0604033F, Hypersonics Prototyping, Project 643882, Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon, in order to mitigate the testing shortfall (PE 0604033F remains RDT&E only). In FY 2026, ARRW Procurement was added to PE 0101101F. The FY 2026 spend plan amount for RDT&E includes 0 thousand of discretionary and 133,334 thousand of mandatory (reconciliation) for a total of 133,334 thousand. This program element included all necessary expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such programs funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program elements 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605833F, and 0605898F. The Air-Launched Ballistic Missile (ALBM) project integrates Air Force and other system technologies to develop, design, test, manufacture, and field an air-launched, long-range strike capability that complements existing hypersonic weapons. ALBM will mature existing hypersonic weapon technologies to rapidly test, which will inform future production decisions early in the acquisition lifecycle.
FY2027 planned work FY27 plans to begin INC 2 technology efforts such as but not limited to integrating pre-planned product improvements, design, trade studies, hardware upgrades, facilitization, affordability initiatives, and testing.
FY2026 to FY2027 change FY27 $296.262M funded to continue INC 2 tech efforts, facilitation, and affordability.
FY2026 plans — current year No FY26 RDT&E Discretionary Funding
FY2027 planned work Standup new program office and begin ALBM design activities leading to a critical design review. Begin development of test assets.
FY2026 to FY2027 change Standup new program office and begin ALBM design activities leading to a critical design review. Begin development of test assets.
FY2026 plans — current year No FY26 dollars