"Dark Eagle" arrives in the Middle East; A key U.S. decision is awaited — will it use the powerful weapon?

A longer-range system is being sought to strike ballistic missile launchers deep داخل the country’s territory.

If approved, this would mark the first time the United States deploys its hypersonic missile, Bloomberg reports, noting that the program is significantly delayed, especially considering that Russia and China have already fielded their own versions of such weapons.

“The request cites as a reason for deployment that Iran has moved its launch systems beyond the range of the ‘Precision Strike’ missile, a weapon capable of hitting targets at distances greater than 480 kilometers,” said a source directly familiar with the request.

The source, who asked to remain anonymous, added that no decision has yet been made on the request.

“Dark Eagle,” also known as a long-range hypersonic weapon, has a reported range of more than 2,700 kilometers, although its exact specifications remain classified.

It is designed to reach its target at speeds exceeding five times the speed of sound and can maneuver to evade interception.

The weapon is designed to counter advanced Chinese or Russian air defense systems. Each missile produced by Lockheed Martin costs around $15 million, and there are no more than eight missiles available, a Bloomberg source said.