Stratolaunch Boosts Hypersonic Testing with Boeing 777 Acquisition

Stratolaunch has acquired a Boeing 777 to enhance its hypersonic testing capabilities. The aircraft will be based in Mojave, California, where the company is headquartered, and could be staged in different countries depending on demand.

The Boeing 777 is currently undergoing detailing process, including a new paint job and the addition of multiple pylon stations to enable air launch of Talon-A and other systems. This upgrade will allow Stratolaunch to expand its testing capabilities beyond its existing Roc aircraft, which holds the record for the world's largest fixed-wing aircraft by wingspan.

Stratolaunch is a key player in the Defense Department's Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed (MACH-TB) and has several high-profile customers, including the Air Force, Navy, Missile Defense Agency, and NASA. The Pentagon has stated its desire to conduct 50 hypersonic flights annually as part of the MACH-TB program.

An Atlantic Council study found that American sluggishness in developing and deploying hypersonic weapons is creating a 'battlefield asymmetry' with Russia and China.