Pentagon Invests $68M in Hypersonic Hardware

- The six vendors awarded contracts are Leidos, GoHypersonic, Special Aerospace Services (Aurex), the Purdue Applied Research Institute, Halo Engines, and Kratos. These organizations will focus on improving in-flight maneuverability, aerodynamics, propulsion design, and mission planning. - The contracts were awarded as Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) through the Strategic and Spectrum Mission Advanced Resilient Trusted Systems (S2MARTS) mechanism, designed to streamline acquisition and accelerate development by bypassing some traditional procurement constraints. - This funding is part of a broader push to counter the advancements made by China and Russia, both of which have reportedly fielded operational hypersonic weapons. Most U.S. hypersonic weapons are being developed for conventional, not nuclear, warheads. - The Pentagon's total budget request for hypersonic research in FY2026 was $3.9 billion, a decrease from the $6.9 billion requested for FY2025. The overall proposed Pentagon research and development budget for FY2026 is the largest in history at $179 billion. - The U.S. Army has already started to field its first ground-launched hypersonic weapon, the Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) system, also known as Dark Eagle. Lockheed Martin received a $756 million contract in May 2024 for additional LRHW battery equipment and support. - One of the awardees, Kratos, will specifically focus on the testing and evaluation of thermal protection systems to address the extreme heat generated during hypersonic flight. - The Joint Hypersonics Transition Office (JHTO) was established in 2020 to coordinate and accelerate the development and transition of hypersonic technologies into operational capabilities for the warfighter.