GA-EMS contracted for hypersonic weapons work
General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) has been awarded a contract by the US Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office to further the development of the Common-Hypersonic Glide Body(C-HGB) and flight test vehicle.
This will support the army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon and the US Navy’s Intermediate Range Conventional Prompt Strike (IRCPS) programmes, and follows previously contracted work that was performed by GA-EMS for the US Army Space and Missile Defense Command for the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon – Technology Demonstration programme.
‘As new threats continue to emerge, advancing the development and flight testing of hypersonic vehicle prototypes has become an urgent priority,’ Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS, said.
‘Over the past 13 years, we have worked closely with the army and Sandia National Laboratories to design, manufacture and test hypersonic glide body components and technologies. We look forward to leveraging that expertise as this critical capability transitions out of the lab and into a production-ready asset to support the warfighter.’
GA-EMS will provide manufacturing, production, engineering and technical support to integrate, test, and evaluate CHGB and flight test vehicles through system and subsystem-level ground and flight test activities.
The contract will include the manufacture of components, test and integration of vehicle flight components and assemblies, flight test planning and execution, and simulation, validation and verification support.
More from Defence Notes
- 
                
                    
                
                Companies’ results boom as countries dig deep to buy missiles and air defence systems
Air defence systems are continuing to appear top of countries’ shopping lists but broadly across different capabilities it is a sellers’ market, as demonstrated by backlogs and double-digit percentage point growth.
 - 
                
                    
                
                Details revealed on Germany’s big spending plans
In May this year, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the government plans to position Germany as “Europe's strongest conventional army”. A new blueprint outlines how this is going to occur through massive investment.
 - 
                
                    
                
                European Council to deliver at “pace and scale” on European defence readiness 2030 roadmap
Two of the concrete projects outlined in the readiness report, the European Air Shield and Space Shield, will aim to be launched by Q2 2026.
 - 
                
                    
                
                Malaysia’s defence budget sets out major procurement goals for 2026
The country has allocated RM21.70 billion for defence spending next year, with some major procurements set to be initiated across the country’s army, navy and air force.
 - 
                
                    
                
                GAO highlights the need for more commercial data and availability improvements
The US Government Accountability Office recently released two reports; one into the availability of selected equipment and another looking at how the government gets data and intellectual property rights through contracting.