ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Four seconds into the test launch of an experimental hypersonic weapon, on Monday, U.S. military officials were forced to abandon the mission and cue the weapon to self-destruct.
The so-called Advanced Hypersonic Weapon is part of the Defense Department's Conventional Prompt Global Strike technology development program. The program's objective is to construct a missile that can wipe out a target anywhere on Earth in less than 60 minutes after receiving bullseye data and permission to launch.