April 24 (UPI) — The United States Army announced Thursday that it will call its new long-range hypersonic weapon “Dark Eagle.”
Dark Eagle is intended to be a quick-response, strategic-attack weapon and has a range of 1,725 miles, according to congressional documents.
“The name pays tribute to the eagle, a master hunter known for its speed, stealth and agility — due to the LRHW’s combination of velocity, accuracy, maneuverability, survivability and versatility,” the Army said in a release.
The Army said it settled on the word “dark” because of the weapon’s ability to disintegrate adversaries’ offensives, communication systems and long-range targets.
“The Dark Eagle brings to mind the power and determination of our country and its Army as it represents the spirit and lethality of the Army’s and Navy’s hypersonic weapon endeavors,” the release continued.
The Army said working with the Navy of devising hypersonic weapons allows for more collaboration between the two branches of the armed services, while pursuing a more aggressive timeline for getting weapons in use while being most economically efficient.
