In a move that marks a new era in the technological escalation of the conflict, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) is calling for the deployment of the supersonic ‘Dark Eagle’ in the Middle East.
This is a strategic option that, if approved, will bring to the battlefield for the first time a state-of-the-art weapon system that could fundamentally change the rules of engagement against
The Dark Eagle program has suffered significant delays and the weapon has yet to be declared “fully operational”, while Russia and China have already developed their own versions of similar systems.
Business feasibility
The request for reinforcements justifies the move by citing that Iran has moved its launchers out of range of the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), which can hit targets more than 300 miles away.
A final decision has not yet been made, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter, while CENTCOM declined to comment.
Technical characteristics and cost
The Dark Eagle, also known as the Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), has a reported range of over 1,725 miles, although its exact capabilities remain classified.
It is designed to traverse the atmosphere towards the target at five times the speed of sound (Mach 5+), maneuvering to avoid interception.
The weapon was originally designed to counter advanced Chinese or Russian air defense systems. Every Lockheed Martin Corp. missile. it costs about 15 million dollars, while their total number does not exceed eight. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has estimated that each firing would cost about $2.7 billion.
Preparing for scaling
A ceasefire between the US and Iran has been in effect since April 9, but the request suggests that should President Donald Trump decide to resume operations.
According to Becca Wasser, head of defense at Bloomberg Economics, both sides have used this time to rearm and plan, warning that “future rounds of fighting may be more lethal.”
The eventual approval of the missile’s development would also send a signal to strategic rivals Russia and China that the US is now able to respond to a capability that its adversaries have long possessed.
The situation in the field
The US has already deployed most of its stockpile of JASSM-ER cruise missiles, which are also designed for engagements with equal adversaries. So far, about 1,100 such missiles have been fired in the conflict.
Although the U.S. claims to have local air superiority — meaning that in some parts of Iran its aircraft can operate without facing much threat — the downing of dozens of MQ-9 drones, as well as several manned fighters, shows that the airspace in other parts of the country remains extremely dangerous.
