U.S. Central Command has requested the deployment of the Dark Eagle hypersonic missile to the Middle East for potential use against Iran, seeking a longer-range system to strike ballistic missile launchers deep inside the country, Bloomberg reports, according to UNN.
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If approved, this would mark the first time the U.S. has deployed its hypersonic missile, the development of which is significantly behind schedule and has not yet been declared fully operational, even as Russia and China have already deployed their own versions, the publication writes.
The deployment request justifies the move by stating that Iran has moved its launchers beyond the reach of precision missiles capable of hitting targets at distances of over 300 miles (483 km), according to a source directly familiar with the request.
A decision on the request has not yet been made, the source added.
A truce between the U.S. and Iran has been in place since April 9, but the request suggests the U.S. is preparing for new strikes should U.S. President Donald Trump decide to proceed, the publication notes. Both sides have used this time to rearm and plan, said Becca Wasser, head of defense analysis at Bloomberg Economics, noting that "future rounds of hostilities could be more lethal."
Trump instructs aides to prepare for prolonged blockade of Iran - WSJ29.04.26, 08:50
The decision, if approved, would also serve as a signal to strategic adversaries Russia and China that the U.S. is finally capable of matching the capabilities they have long mastered.
Dark Eagle, also known as the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), has a reported range of more than 1,725 miles (2,776 km), though its exact specifications are classified. It is designed to glide toward a target at speeds more than five times the speed of sound and can maneuver to avoid interception.
The weapon was developed to counter advanced air defense systems from China or Russia. According to the source, each Lockheed Martin Corp. missile costs about $15 million, and there are no more than eight in total.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office stated that each battery would cost approximately $2.7 billion.
The U.S. has already transferred most of its inventory of JASSM-ER stealth cruise missiles, also designed for conflict with a near-peer adversary, for use in the conflict with Iran. Approximately 1,100 such missiles have been fired during the conflict so far.
The U.S. claims to have local air superiority, meaning that in some areas of Iran, its aircraft can operate without serious threat. However, dozens of MQ-9 drones, as well as several manned fighters, have been shot down, indicating that other parts of Iranian airspace remain dangerous, the publication notes.