[44981] Report: U.S. Central Command requests deployment of hypersonic weapons in the Middle East against Iran

Possibility of deploying a U.S. hypersonic weapon system in the region

According to reports published on April 30, 2026, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has submitted a formal request to the Pentagon to deploy the "Dark Eagle" hypersonic missile in the Middle East. As reported by Iran International, the move is intended to provide the U.S. with the capability to precisely strike deep-seated targets, specifically Iranian ballistic missiles, after Tehran moved its launchers beyond the current range of U.S. PrSM missiles.

According to Khabar-e-Fori reports, a channel identified with security news coverage, the request comes against the backdrop of intelligence assessments that Iranian launchers are now located beyond a range of 500 kilometers. Payam Iran emphasized that this could be the first time in history that the United States operationally deploys a hypersonic weapon in the field, despite prolonged delays in the system's development program.

The reports, based on information published by Bloomberg, note that no final decision has been made on the matter. The media outlets point out that the system was specifically designed for "rapid strike of long-range, time-sensitive, and hard-to-reach targets." This technology is considered critical for the U.S. in its efforts to bridge the gap against similar capabilities already deployed by Russia and China.