A Northrop Grumman scramjet engine will power the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile from Raytheon. (Image: Northrop Grumman)
The USAF has chosen Raytheon and Northrop Grumman jointly to develop and deliver operationally ready air-launched Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missiles (HACMs) after awarding a $985 million contract on 22 September.
The Raytheon/Northrop Grumman proposal was selected ahead of designs from Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
Derived from the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept demonstrator, HACM is a USAF programme of record that is also connected to the US-Australian Southern Cross Integrated Flight Research Experiment (SCIFiRE).
Northrop Grumman is providing the necessary scramjet technology into the hypersonic weapon itself, for which Raytheon is responsible.
The two partners have cooperated since 2019 on developing and producing an air-breathing hypersonic weapon powered by a scramjet.
The Pentagon has sent an amendment to the Office of Management and Budget, according to Pete Hegseth, including funds for the procurement of E-7 Wedgetails in FY2027.
As Europe confronts its most unstable security environment since the Cold War, defence planners recognise that advanced, dependable and flexible Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) are central to a force that competes and prevails on today’s battlefield.
The country could be on the cusp of finalising an historic deal with Saab for up to 150 aircraft, with Belgium also increasing its number of donated F-16 aircraft to 53 with refreshed delivery timelines.
The USAF intends to conduct the second phase of the DRAGON programme from FY2026 to FY2030, while the future of the E3 replacement remains unknown.
Indonesia’s purchase of 12 drones with options for an additional 48 is the third deal in as many years between Indonesian and Turkish defence industries, bolstering the former’s plans to strengthen its own domestic production and defence industry.
The Brazilian Army is forecast to spend $279.15 million on UAVs from 2026, exceeding the Brazilian Navy’s $227.51 million forecast spend, although the naval force was an earlier adopter of the capability.
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