Lockheed Martin is helping DARPA to develop a new ground-launched intermediate-range hypersonic weapon. (Image: DARPA)
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control has received another contract modification from DARPA for work on the Operational Fires (OpFires) Integrated Weapon System programme.
The company will conduct risk-reduction testing by September 2022 to achieve ‘system-level critical design maturity’, the DoD announced on 4 March.
DARPA awarded the original $31.9 million contract to Lockheed Martin in January 2020. The latest modification is worth $9.21 million.
OpFires Integrated Weapon System Phase 3 is intended to enable a mobile, ground-launched tactical weapon delivery system capable of carrying various payloads.
The overall goal of the OpFires programme is to develop and demonstrate a novel ground-launched system enabling hypersonic boost glide weapons to penetrate modern enemy air defences and ‘rapidly and precisely engage critical time-sensitive targets’, according to DARPA.
OpFires seeks to develop an advanced booster capable of delivering a variety of payloads at a variety of ranges. Additional considerations include the need for compatible mobile ground launch platforms to integrate existing ground forces and infrastructure, and specific system attributes required for rapid deployment and redeployment.
The selection of Hanwha’s K239 Chunmoo long-range precision fires system, with a contract expected to be signed on 30 January, makes Norway the second European country to choose the system. It is expected an operational system will be in service within four years.
This year has begun with main battle tanks taking the lead while orders for large logistics and support vehicles continued from last year. Additionally, two of the British Army’s most significant contracted vehicle programmes, Ajax reconnaissance vehicle and Challenger 3 tank, continued to make news in January.
Canada is improving its Leopard main battle tank fleet but before this is fully completed, it is expected to begin looking for new vehicles.
A surge in aerial threats – from advanced missiles to low-cost drones – is reshaping the way militaries approach air defence, driving demand for flexible, multi-layered solutions.
In a bid to accelerate delivery of the British Army’s Challenger 3 main battle tank, which has just carried out its first crewed firings with the latest Rheinmetall 120mm L55A1 smoothbore gun, the UK has opted for an unconventional approach.
Since signing a contract to purchase 54 M1A2 Abrams tanks last year, Romania has been looking into options to buy more tanks, but it could cast the net wider than Abrams with funding considerations potentially set to shape the outcome.
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