US Army uses SLRC-derived HATS cannon to live-fire hypersonic warhead test

The U.S. Army conducted a full-scale live-fire test of a hypersonic warhead using a cannon-based launch system (HATS, derived from the canceled Strategic Long Range Cannon). This is a novel test methodology to cheaply and rapidly replicate hypersonic terminal conditions (high-velocity impact/kinetic effects) without expending full hypersonic missiles, potentially accelerating development cycles.