Army Soldiers assigned to a multi-domain artillery battery practice operating the new Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) during Thunderbolt Strike at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, March 3, 2023. In Fall 2021, the multi-domain expert Soldiers received the first prototype hypersonic hardware at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. (Image: Spc. Chandler Coats, U.S. Army)
By: FEDweek StaffThe Army’s effort to field long-range precision fires marked a significant milestone in February, when soldiers from the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF) deployed the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) system for the first time.
The task force’s 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment successfully deployed the system from Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), Washington, to Cape Canaveral, Florida. The exercise, dubbed Thunderbolt Strike, showed that the command and control linkages among the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. Strategic Command, U.S. Army Pacific and the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) functioned as planned.
Public Affairs for the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force out of JBLM, stated that there was no test fire as part of the exercise.
“Our soldiers processed real missions, with real data, in real time, to produce real effects to learn lessons and generate readiness. We’re training the way we will fight, and our soldiers are ready to deploy and employ this critical capability forward,” said rig. Gen. Bernard Harrington, commander of the 1st MDTF.
Col. Ian Humphrey, the RCCTO hypersonic weapons project manager, said the test served as an indicator of the progress being made toward integrating the hypersonic system.
“This unit is fully trained and has proven that they can be deployed away from home station and go right into whatever mission they are given,” Humphrey said. “Thunderbolt Strike proved the power of interagency cooperation to build the multi-domain force of the future.”
He added that another test of long-range precision fires is planned to develop the ability to provide integrated deterrence in the Pacific theater.
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