Pentagon halts HALO missile project citing funding shortfall
The Pentagon has opted to cancel further development of the HALO missile. This hypersonic, next-generation missile was intended to equip the navy with superior capabilities compared to current options for engaging enemy ships and targeting land objectives. The cancellation is attributed to a lack of funding.
Budget limitations are prompting the Pentagon to abandon the HALO (Hypersonic Air Launched Offensive Anti-Surface) missile. This next-generation armament was planned to equip American carrier-based aircraft by 2031, providing the navy with enhanced offensive capabilities beyond present offerings.
The plan was for the hypersonic HALO missile to succeed the currently used subsonic AGM-158C LRASM anti-ship missiles, potentially allowing for more rapid engagement of distant targets due to its very high speed.
Before the HALO program's cancellation was announced, the ability to achieve hypersonic speeds was questioned by U.S. Navy representatives, who argued that the new missile would reach speeds of about Mach 4. While impressive, this does not classify it as a hypersonic weapon.
U.S. navy without a "critical asset"
The U.S. Navy currently operates modern LRASM anti-ship missiles. This weapon is based on the AGM-158B JASSM-ER missile and features reduced detectability as well as advanced target seeking and locating capabilities. The LRASM also possesses a high ability to evade enemy defence systems.
These features influenced the expectations for the HALO missile—its extremely high speed was intended not only for penetrating an attacked ship's defences but also for significantly reducing the time from launch to target impact.
According to Naval News, the HALO missile was evaluated by the U.S. Navy as a "critical" asset, crucial for efficiently countering current and future threats. The main reason for the program's cancellation was cited as "due to budgetary constraints that prevent fielding new capability within the planned delivery schedule."
