{
  "id": 369879,
  "title": "US conducts first live-fire hypersonic test with repurposed HATS launcher",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/us-conducts-first-live-fire-hypersonic-test-with-repurposed-hats",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-09T10:36:44.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Times of India",
    "slug": "times-of-india",
    "url": "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/defence/international/us-army-conducts-first-live-fire-hypersonic-test-from-repurposed-launcher-hats/articleshow/133065261.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The US Army has successfully conducted its first live-fire hypersonic test utilizing a repurposed Heavy Artillery Test System (HATS) launcher, originally designed for the canceled Strategic Long Range Cannon (SLRC) program. The July 30 test took place at the Arizona-based Yuma Proving Ground (YPG), a sprawling 830,000-acre facility. The Army's DEVCOM Armaments Center, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and YPG participated in the trial. Instead of a fully developed hypersonic missile, a specially designed Integrated Launch Package (ILP) was fired from the HATS. This hardened package carried the experimental payload, offering a more economical and expedient way to evaluate its performance upon impact. The cannon, adapted from the SLRC, is capable of launching rocket-assisted, precision-guided projectiles over 1,000 miles, a range far surpassing that of conventional 155-mm artillery. Post-program cancellation, the launcher was repurposed for hypersonic research. During the test, telemetry, high-speed cameras, and range instruments tracked the package from launch to impact, enabling assessment of its performance during the final stage of a weapon's mission. This marks the first live-fire trial of the hardened ILP, proving its ability to endure the intense forces of a cannon launch. The data collected could aid future hypersonic weapon development while minimizing the financial burden of costly full-scale missile tests. While a full hypersonic missile test can range from $9.5 million to over $15 million, depending on the vehicle and program, the cannon-based approach is not meant to replace conventional flight tests. Instead, it aims to complement wind tunnels, laboratory experiments, rocket sleds, and live missile launches, thereby lowering testing costs.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}