By
Theresa Hitchens on August 04, 2021 at 4:09 PM
AGM-183A Air Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) hypersonic missile. (DoD)
WASHINGTON: Despite a second flight test failure, the Air Force is still pushing to begin production of the hypersonic Air Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) in fiscal 2022, Brig. Gen. Heath Collins said today.
That said, if ARRW continues to fail, the service could resuscitate the Hypersonic Conventional Strike Weapon (HCSW, pronounced hacksaw), mused Collins, who heads the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) Armaments Directorate and serves as program executive officer for weapons.
While seemingly unfazed by ARRW’s testing woes, Collins did offer that “We could go back to HCSW,” noting that the effort did complete critical design review prior to the Air Force stopping the development program last year in favor of ARRW.
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Lawmakers Move to Protect Pilots from Ejection Seat Problems
Aircrew egress systems specialists hoist an F-16 Fighting Falcon canopy into the air June 26, 2017. (U.S. Air Force/Airman 1st Class Caleb Worpel)
29 Jul 2021
After an ejection seat malfunction led to a fighter pilot’s death last year, lawmakers plan to require the Air Force and the Navy to notify them when the live-saving seats are in need of repair.
The pilot’s death was linked to a spare parts shortage which meant the ejection seat was three years late in being serviced.
In its markup of the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, the House Armed Services Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee wants to know how often the Air Force delays maintenance on aircraft with an ejection seat scheduled for repair, according to the bill text.