HCSW (hypersonic attack weapon)

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Space, Huntsville, Alabama, is the successful offeror of a $928,000,000 ceiling indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the hypersonic conventional strike weapon. This contract provides for the design, development, engineering, systems integration, test, logistics planning, and aircraft integration support of all the elements of a hypersonic, conventional, air-launched, stand-off weapon. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and three offers were received. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds will be obligated at the time of award on the first task order. Air Force Life Cycle Management, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA8682-18-D-0003).

fbo.gov link

Not that Lockheed can't perform to the contract, but this contract reads like very few companies could compete.

Note on the recent Syrian attack, speed was not the issue since they used a loiter capability to delay the final attack. That is they wanted all missiles to arrive at the same time to maximize the difficulty of a ground attack.

a reply to: gariac

www.flightglobal.com...

Not much more said, just not in govie contract speak.

Sounds like one might want to buy LMT at current price.

Looks like it's gonna go up,up and away.

In 30 minutes or less or the next ones freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

originally posted by: anzha
a reply to: gariac

www.flightglobal.com...

Not much more said, just not in govie contract speak.

To Flightglobal's credit, I hadn't realized there was a shift from Boeing to Lockheed. Half the time these websites just rewrite the raw material from the contract data. And Flightglobal, unlike how The Drive writes, kept it short and on topic.

What is the size and target deployment aircraft? Are these going to launchable from fighter bomber type airframe or B-1 / B-52 types?

a reply to: Forensick

Click the little blue sentences in posts, it's your friend.

The hypersonic cruise missile contracted by the USAF must be capable of being carried on fighter and bomber aircraft, according to the service’s solicitation notice

From the Flight Global link above.

I had questions and this started answering them.

Hypersonic Wind Tunnel

Wondered how they tested such things and it appears to be tough like I imagined it would be.
Ran into a guy several years ago who's grandfather built one out in the desert somewhere using miles and miles of high pressure pipe to store the air.



Always learning

a reply to: mikell

www.washingtonpost.com...

The contract is a major step forward for the Hypersonic Conventional Strike Weapon program, an Air Force-led effort that is the second of two U.S. efforts to develop a hyper-sonic weapon. The other is a project jointly managed by the Air Force and DARPA, the Defense Department’s weapons development agency, called the Tactical Boost Glide program.