Le Journal

The army has once again missed its own deadline for fielding the first US hypersonic weapon, in a sign that one of the Pentagon's top priorities is still running late. The unit responsible for using the advanced weapon is trained and ready, but the missile – part of a US$10.4 billion hypersonic programme – is not ready for use. And while the army as recently as last month said that it planned to field the weapon by the end of 2025, the army acknowledged this week that it missed that deadline. "Fielding activities include the required integration, safety and readiness steps to ensure soldiers receive a system that is reliable, sustainable and effective in operational environments and are on track for completion in early 2026," the army statement said. "As the army moves towards completion of fielding, it remains focused on rigorous testing, training and system maturity to support successful operational employment." The army missed a previous deadline of September 30, 2023, to field the technology, and blew past another this past September. Missing the deadline again at year's end is a reality check on the technical complexities inherent in ensuring the system works as intended – as opposed to any apparent lingering or unresolved flaws with the basic missile developed by Lockheed Martin. But it is also a cautionary tale for Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth as he emphasises fielding weapons quickly and pursues a complete upending of the Pentagon's often lumbering, risk-averse acquisition process.

Many around the world will recall the striking image of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi standing side by side at the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in September.