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4d ago

CENTCOM Seeks First Dark Eagle Hypersonic Deployment to Counter Iran

The move would close a reach gap created by Iranian launchers repositioned beyond current U.S. missiles.

LRHW at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station during Operation Thunderbolt Strike. Spc. Chandler Coats, US Army.
AT SEA, UNSPECIFIED - FEBRUARY 27: (EDITOR'S NOTE: This Handout image was provided by a third-party organization and may not adhere to Getty Images' editorial policy.) In this handout released by U.S. Central Command, U.S. Sailors transfer ordnance on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), on February 27, 2026 in the Arabian Sea. Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was confirmed killed after the United States and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran on February 28. Iran retaliated by firing waves of missiles and drones at Israel, and targeting U.S. allies in the region. (Photo by U.S. Central Command via Getty Images)
Caption: NORTHERN TERRITORY, Australia ??? Soldiers from B Battery (Dark Eagle), 5th Battalion, 3d Field Artillery Regiment (LRFB), give a capabilities brief on the Long Range Hypersonic Weapon System in Northern Territory, Australia, July 9, 2025. The battery is participating in Exercise Talisman Sabre 25, the principal Australian-U.S. bilateral military exercise focused on high-end warfighting and enhancing allied interoperability. This is the first operational employment of the Dark Eagle system outside the continental U.S. Talisman Sabre is the largest bilateral military exercise between Australia and the United States, strengthening interoperability and partnership through combined training and operations. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Perla Alfaro) Photographer: Sgt. Perla Alfaro Provider: U.S. Army Pacific Public Affairs Source: Digital Copyright: Public Domain
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Overview

  • CENTCOM has asked to position the Army’s Dark Eagle hypersonic system in the Middle East for possible strikes on Iranian ballistic‑missile launchers, according to multiple reports, and no approval has been announced as CENTCOM declined comment.
  • The request cites a range shortfall, with Iran shifting launchers beyond the Precision Strike Missile’s more than 300‑mile reach, while Dark Eagle is reported to exceed roughly 1,700 miles and uses a high‑speed glide vehicle that can maneuver to evade defenses.
  • If cleared, this would be the first operational U.S. hypersonic deployment, signaling new strike options against time‑sensitive targets deep inside Iran rather than relying on shorter‑range missiles and riskier air sorties.
  • Readiness accounts conflict, with several outlets reporting the weapon has not been declared fully operational, while a defense official told Fox News the system has reached initial operational capability.
  • The arsenal is tiny and costly, with fewer than eight missiles at about $15 million each and an estimated $2.7 billion per battery, which would constrain any use and sharpen escalation risks during the fragile ceasefire.