OpFires

{{Short description|Hypersonic glide vehicle medium-range ballistic missile}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}

{{Infobox weapon

| image = Opfiresflighttest-619.jpg

| caption = OpFires successfully executed its first flight test in July 2022

| image_size = 300

| is_missile = yes

| name = Operational Fires (OpFires)

| type = Hypersonic glide vehicle medium-range ballistic missile{{cite web | url=https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/news/features/2020/lockheed-martins-hypersonic-opfires-missile-has-medium-range-covered.html | title=Lockheed Martin's Hypersonic OpFires Missile Has Medium Range Covered }}

| origin = United States

| service = Experimental program which concluded in FY2022 https://sgp.fas.org/crs/weapons/R45811.pdf

| used_by = United States

| designer = DARPA

| engine = rocket motor

| vehicle_range = 1000 miles (1609 kilometers)

| speed = hypersonic

| altitude =

| filling =

| launch_platform = specialized pallet for Palletized Load System

}}

Operational Fires (abbreviated as OpFires) is a hypersonic ground-launched system developed by DARPA for the United States Armed Forces.{{Cite web |date=July 13, 2022 |title=Operational Fires Program Successfully Completes First Flight Test |url=https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2022-07-13a#:~:text=The%20primary%20goal%20of%20OpFires,that%20can%20penetrate%20modern%20air }} The system deploys a boost glide vehicle. The prime contractor for the program is Lockheed Martin.{{Cite web |date=July 14, 2022 |title=DARPA's OpFires programme completes first flight test |url=https://www.army-technology.com/news/darpa-opfires-programme-flight-test/ |access-date=2022-07-21 |website=Army Technology |language=en-US}} The missile's range is thought to be up to 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers).{{cite web | url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2022/08/darpa-updates-on-opfires-hypersonic-missile-test/ | title=DARPA Updates on OpFires Hypersonic Missile Test | date=August 10, 2022 }}

OpFires intends to produce a medium-range hypersonic missile that is cheaper and with less range than the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) to strike larger numbers of targets at operational ranges. It will reuse the glide body from the AGM-183 ARRW. The unique aspect of OpFires is use of a "throttleable" rocket motor, where thrust can be turned off at a desired point mid-flight instead of needing to wait until all fuel is burned to make it better able to hit a short-range target.[https://breakingdefense.com/2020/10/darpas-hypersonic-opfires-aims-for-army-1000-mile-missile/ DARPA’s Hypersonic OpFires Aims For Army 1,000-Mile Missile]. Breaking Defense. 23 October 2020.