WASHINGTON – The US Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded two defensecontractors more than $100 million each to design a missile with“networked, collaborative behaviors (swarming) to address Integrated AirDefense (IAD) system threats around the world,” Lockheed Martin announcedDecember 27.

The lab is partnering with Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman to completea concept demonstration within five years for cheap cruise missiles thatwork together to defeat enemy air defenses.[image: US Air Force, an MQ-9 Reaper]

The first “Gray Wolf” missiles will be tested from an F-16, Lockheed Martinsaid, noting that the weapon system will eventually be compatiblewith F-35, F-15, F/A-18, B-1, B-2 and B-52 aircraft — basically the entireexisting US Air Force fleet.

“Lockheed Martin’s concept for the Gray Wolf missile will be an affordable,counter-IAD missile that will operate in highly contested environments,”said Hady Mourad, a missile program director at the world’s largest defensecontractor.

The missile is “being design to maximize modularity, allowing our customersto incorporate advanced technologies such as more lethal warheads andmore-fuel efficient engines, when those systems become available,” Mouradsaid in the news release.[image: Launches a RIM-174 Standard ERAM (Standard Missile-6, SM-6)]Accordingto a December 20 Pentagon announcement, Northrop Grumman was awarded $110million for work including “the design, development, manufacture andtesting of prototype affordable cruise missiles to advance networkedcollaborative operations technologies.”

Seven companies competed for the contracts in total, the Pentagon said.

Defense officials have been “reluctant” to share many details about the”secretive project,” Aviation Week reported. From what is known, theproject is expected to result in a long-range, “low-cost,” subsonic weapontailored for “enhanced navigation.”