The AUKUS nations have signed the Hypersonic Flight Test and Experimentation (HyFliTE) Project Arrangement which will see up to six trilateral hypersonic test campaigns occur before 2028. Around $387 million (US$252 million) has been allocated to support the testing program by the US Department of Defense.
"We are increasing our collective ability to develop and deliver offensive and defensive hypersonic technologies through a robust series of trilateral tests and experiments that will accelerate the development of hypersonic concepts and critical enabling technologies," said the US Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Heidi Shyu.
"Collaborative efforts are accelerating the development of underpinning enabling technologies, such as high temperature materials, advanced propulsion systems, and guidance and control."
The agreement will facilitate both technology sharing and collaborative testing. It will enable each nation to make use of the other two's test facilities and weapons ranges. In June the US Government Accountability Office, revealed that Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile all-up rounds will be tested in Australia by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
“Australian weapons ranges offer operational flexibility for long range tests such as those planned under SCIFiRE. Some events in the test campaign in support of SCIFiRE will be conducted over Australian ranges, including Woomera,” a Defence spokesperson told ADM in June.