Create a free starter account, or log in.

Get access to four free articles per month, as well as our Decisive Edge Newsletters and Daily News Bulletin.

Email Address

Password

Forgot your password? Reset by clicking here

Create a Password

[[ req.met ? '✓' : '•' ]] [[ req.text ]]

Re-enter Password

Passwords do not match

First Name

Last Name

Country

Confirm your account

Please enter the four-digit pin below that has been emailed to you.

Didn't receive the pin yet?

This pin expires in 20 minutes.

[[ error ]]

By creating an account, you agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Stay informed with Shephard's award-winning journalism. Unlock unlimited access and in-depth analysis with a corporate or individual subscription.

Explore your options here

UK brings 90 companies into $1.25 billion hypersonic missile programme

13th May 2024 - 17:00 GMT | by Shephard News Team in London

RSS

The UK is looking to develop an indigenous hypersonic capability. (Image: DE&S)

The Hypersonic Technologies & Capability Development Framework (HTCDF) agreement was first announced in 2023 in an effort to accelerate the development of a sovereign UK strike capability.

Ninety companies have been accepted into the UK’s £1 billion HTCDF agreement, set up to rapidly develop advanced hypersonic missile capabilities where firrns can bid for contracts within the programme.

The framework agreement is designed to provide a faster route to achieve capability and will select suppliers all the way through to a final weapon system with the award of contracts managed through competitive processes at the MoD's DE&S agency.

The framework hopes to enable focussed research to be spirally developed through varying Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) from very low to ready for operations, specifically TRL 1-9.

The HTCDF will reopen to new suppliers every six to 12 months so the MoD can draw upon new technologies and emerging market capabilities.

Alongside established weapons manufacturers and academic institutions, nearly half of the suppliers will be small and medium enterprises and, according to DE&S, this is designed “to leverage the strength and breadth of UK and international talent and innovation across the defence enterprise".