In order to equip surface ships with hypersonic strike capability, Lockheed Martin is working with the US Navy.

If all options are used, the U.S. Navy awarded Lockheed Martin a contract for the integration of the Conventional Prompt Strike weapon system onto ZUMWALT-class guided missile destroyers valued more than $2 billion. The CPS is a hypersonic boost-glide weapon system that allows long-range missiles to fly at speeds faster than Mach 5, with exceptional survivability against adversary defenses.

Steve Layne, vice president of Hypersonic Strike Weapon Systems at Lockheed Martin, stated that the company “continues to improve hypersonic attack capability for the United States through this new contract.” “Initial design work has already begun. Our team is eager to assist the warfighter by giving them more choices so they can better defend America at sea.”

Under the terms of this agreement, Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor, will supply this naval platform with launcher systems, weapon control, All Up Rounds (AURs), which are integrated missile components, and platform integration support. By the middle of the 2020s, the corporation and its partners in the sector, including the suppliers Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics Mission Systems, plan to provide sailors the CPS surface-launched, sea-based hypersonic strike capability. For the U.S. Army’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) testing, training, and tactical employment, the contract also includes more AURs and canisters.

A Shared Missile

CPS can be launched from a variety of platforms, such as surface ships, submarines, and land-based mobile launchers, and it shares an AUR with the Army LRHW.

The main systems integrator for the CPS and LRHW weapon systems is Lockheed Martin. The organization is leading a group of business, government, and academic partners to make significant advancements in design and development to address this important requirement for warfighters on land and at sea.

A National Priority

Hypersonic vehicles or hypersonic missiles are extremely maneuverable and can travel at speeds greater than five times the speed of sound. The ZUMWALT-class destroyer’s stealth and mobility, along with the CPS capability, will give the country its first sea-based hypersonic strike capability.

In order to provide the warfighter with a capability that exemplifies Lockheed Martin’s 21st Century Security vision in support of our customers, fielding CPS on the ZUMWALT-class destroyer will be a crucial and critical step.

In order to speed development on an unprecedented timetable, Lockheed Martin is utilizing its corporate legacy of system integration on naval platforms and our more than 60 years of experience with hypersonic strikes.