US conducts successful hypersonic weapon test

Washington: The U.S. Air Force said on Monday that it had conducted a successful test of a hypersonic weapon, which flew at five times the speed of sound.

In a release, the Air Force said, the test was conducted on Saturday off the coast of Southern California when a B-52 bomber released an Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW).  

After separating from the aircraft, the weapon's booster ignited and burned for "expected duration," according to the release, and then achieved hypersonic speed – five times greater than the speed of sound. 

Notably, Saturday's test marks the service's first successful test of the ARRW.

The service previously conducted three consecutive tests that failed, according to the Congressional Research Service

The United States is not alone in developing hypersonic weapons, whose speed and maneuverability make them difficult to track and intercept.

Russia has fired hypersonic missiles at targets in Ukraine and China has tested hypersonic weapons, U.S. military officials have said. 

However, China's foreign ministry denied in October that it had conducted a weapons test.