Army asks DTS to build common glide body prototypes for a new generation of long-range hypersonic munitions
REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – U.S. Army hypersonic munitions experts needed prototype glide bodies for hypersonic weapons that could see applications across all U.S. military services. They found their solution from Leidos Dynetics Technical Solutions (DTS) in Huntsville, Ala.
Officials of the Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., announced a $428.3 million four-year order to DTS on Monday to create Common-Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) prototypes. DTS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Leidos Dynetics.
The Army three years ago awarded a $352 million contract to DTS to produce the first commercially manufactured set of C-HGB systems. DTS is working with Lockheed Martin Corp. to support integration and prototyping of the new C-HGB, which is expected to be available across military services to provide commonality to air, land, and sea hypersonic weapons.
Lockheed Martin is working with the Army on multi-year hypersonic weapons development in support of the Army's focus on long-range precision-strike missiles.
Lockheed Martin is prime contractor for the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) systems integration project. The Lockheed Martin-team will develop and integrate a land-based hypersonic strike missile prototype in partnership with the Army Hypersonic Project Office.
The Lockheed Martin LRHW team includes DTS; Integration Innovation Inc. (i3) in Huntsville, Ala.; Verity Integrated Systems in Huntsville, Ala.; Martinez & Turek Inc. in Rialto, Calif.; and Penta Research Inc. in Huntsville, Ala.
The LRHW prototype will capitalize on the C-HGB and introduce a new class of ultrafast and maneuverable long-range missiles with the ability to fire from mobile ground launchers. Hypersonic munitions travel at speeds at least as fast as Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound.
Hypersonic strike weapons are a key aspect of the Army's Long Range Precision Fires (LRPF) effort to develop long-range artillery-delivered munitions able to fire as far as 187 miles, as well as the national security strategy to compete with and outpace potential enemies in hypersonics.
On Monday's order DTS will do the work in Huntsville, Ala., and should be finished by July 2027. For more information contact Leidos Dynetics online at www.leidos.com/company/our-business/dynetics, or the Army Contracting Command-Redstone at acc.army.mil/contractingcenters/acc-rsa.
John Keller | Editor-in-Chief
John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.
