Leidos has selected General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) to manufacture critical components for the US Army and Navy’s hypersonic weapons programs through 2031.
The subcontract covers precision-machined parts and cable assemblies for the Common Hypersonic Glide Body (CHGB).
GA-EMS previously produced prototype glide-body subassemblies, hardware, and cables for a successful 2020 CHGB flight test. The company will draw on that experience in fulfilling the new agreement.
Work will be carried out using GA-EMS’ existing workforce and facilities, which include specialized machining equipment and cable assembly capabilities.
The company will also test and inspect the parts to ensure they meet design specifications and quality requirements.
“Our continued collaboration with Leidos reinforces our role as a trusted source of high-quality critical components for hypersonic weapons,” GA-EMS President Scott Forney said.
US Efforts to Develop Hypersonic Weapons
The subcontract adds to the US military’s efforts to field hypersonic weapons, which travel at speeds of at least Mach 5 and are designed to strike targets at long range.
The army’s Dark Eagle, formally known as the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon, and the navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike both use the same CHGB. A booster accelerates the weapon before the glide body separates and travels toward its target.
The US army plans to launch Dark Eagle from ground-based mobile platforms, while the navy is developing ship- and submarine-based launch capabilities.
Other US efforts include the US Air Force’s Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM), an air-launched, scramjet-powered weapon that aims to give the service a long-range strike option for its F-15E fighter aircraft.
The navy is also pursuing Blackbeard, an air-launched hypersonic weapon developed by Castelion for carrier-based aircraft. In September, the service awarded a production delivery order worth up to $200 million for an initial lot of missiles.
