US Army confirms two-year delay for first hypersonic missile battery

The U.S. Army's first long-range hypersonic weapon battery will not enter service until the second quarter of fiscal year 2026, by March 2027 at the latest, according to a Government Accountability Office report. That timeline represents a two-year slip from the original schedule and roughly a nine-month delay compared with GAO's most recent estimates. The report identifies the software for the new system as more complex than initially planned, with additional risks emerging during integration with the missiles. Early test setbacks and production problems at the contractor were also cited as factors deepening the delay. Separately, press reports have said the U.S. Navy's first hypersonic missiles may not enter its inventory until late 2029. The Army has not publicly commented on the latest GAO findings beyond the underlying report.