The Navy plans to expedite development of a carrier-launched hypersonic weapon capability, shifting the program from a traditional acquisition pathway to the Middle Tier Acquisition Rapid Prototyping approach as it attempts to field the system before 2030. The Hypersonic Air-Launched Offensive Anti-Surface (HALO) program, launched as a new-start initiative in fiscal year 2023, is intended to enhance offensive strike capability as a carrier-suitable weapon with higher speeds and a greater range than existing capabilities. “The previous schedule and technical review...