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The news comes after the Air Force’s top civilian revealed Tuesday that the missile’s most recent all-up-round test “was not successful” but stopped short of saying the service wouldn’t buy it.
Following a recent disclosure by the Air Force that suggested the new hypersonic missile came up short during testing, Secretary Frank Kendall told lawmakers the service was "more committed" to another hypersonic program.
Seeking to pivot to a new generation of air power by fielding platforms like the Next Generation Air Dominance Fighter, the Air Force is planning significant investments into future technologies, according to service budget documents, which also show that fiscal 2024 could be a turning point for hypersonics.
"You obviously don't wouldn't buy something that doesn't work. But even if it does work, it's got to be it's got to be the right contribution to the overall weapons mix," said Andrew Hunter, the Air Force's acquisition executive.
The Pentagon has confirmed the successful testing of two hypersonic missiles, amid growing concerns Russia and China have raced ahead with developing their own, pictured left.