Several companies obtain hypersonic contracts

22nd November 2021 - 17:06 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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The US is continuing to address opportunities and challenges related to hypersonic missile technology. (Photo: Missile Defense Agency)

Also Dynetics obtained a contract from the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office.

The US is continuing efforts to develop hypersonic missiles and protect against them, after four companies received contracts on 19 November.

Dynetics obtained a $479 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract from the US Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office to develop Hypersonic Thermal Protection System prototypes, support materials research, and novel inspection and acceptance criteria.

A thermal protection system is essential to protect against extreme temperatures while travelling at hypersonic speed.

Dynetics is expected to complete work on this contract by 18 November 2027.

Meanwhile, the Missile Defense Agency awarded separate other transaction prototype contracts to Raytheon Missiles and Defense ($20.97 million), Lockheed Martin ($20.94 million) and Northrop Grumman ($18.96 million) to 'further develop and refine' their concepts for the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI).

The contracts were competitively solicited under the Enhanced Hypersonic Defense Broad Agency Announcement, the DoD noted. All three companies are to complete work on these contracts by September 2022.

The GPI programme aims to develop a sea-based counter-hypersonic weapon by 2030.