US deploys hypersonic missile system in Guam

The US Army deployed its Dark Eagle Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon to Guam during Exercise Valiant Shield 2026, marking the first hypersonic missile deployment within striking distance of mainland China.

Dark Eagle travels faster than Mach 5 with a boost-glide profile making it nearly impossible to intercept, and can strike targets up to 3,500 kilometers away, deep inside China's coastal defenses.

A Government Accountability Office report reveals the Dark Eagle program is over two years behind schedule, with future batteries delayed until at least 2028.

China already has deployed DF-17 and DF-27 hypersonic systems, and Guam itself sits within range of China's so-called 'Guam killer' missile.