WASHINGTON – The US Army just selected two defense firms in a deal worth$698 million to build and deliver prototypes of a major component in thehypersonic weapons the service plans to field in 2023.
The move follows a March decision by the Army senior leadership toaccelerate delivery of a prototype ground-launched hypersonic weaponcapable of being sent into combat.
As a result, the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Officehas awarded an “other transaction authority” agreement to DyneticsTechnical Solutions for $351.6 million to produce the first commerciallymanufactured set of prototype Common-Hypersonic Glide Body systems. It alsoawarded a second agreement under the same authority to Lockheed Martin for$347 million to serve as the prototype system integrator, according to anAug. 30 news release from Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical TechnologiesOffice.
“Other transaction authority” is a Defense Department category set asidefor research, prototyping and production projects.
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The Army Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is designed to create a new class ofultrafast, maneuverable, long-range missiles capable of flying at fivetimes the speed of sound.
