SOCOM looking for vendors to boost cruise missile capabilities
After completing a demonstration of a low-cost small cruise missile, U.S. Special Operations Command is now reaching out to industry to look for additional offerings.
SOCOM posted a request for information to Sam.gov on Thursday asking vendors to submit white papers outlining the capabilities of their existing, demonstrated small cruise missile platforms. The command’s program executive office for fixed wing is conducting the market research to inform its production acquisition strategy and spiral development of the weapon system, according to the RFI.
The outreach comes after Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) partnered with Leidos to complete a guided flight test of the company’s Black Arrow missile from an AC-130J Ghostrider in 2024. Following the successful demonstration, Leidos continued testing and evaluating the weapon under a contract with SOCOM that ended in 2025, according to the company.
Now, the command is scouting what other small cruise missile offerings currently exist on the market before moving the effort forward.
“The purpose of this market research is to determine if any other sources possess a solution with comparable or superior capability that could be delivered to the warfighter without incurring substantial duplication of cost or unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency’s requirements,” the RFI stated.
Small cruise missiles are considered compact, low-cost air-breathing weapons that can carry kinetic or non-kinetic effects over long distances, most often after being launched from an aircraft or drone. The Air Force is also interested in acquiring the missiles under its Franklin Affordable Mass Missile (FAMM) program.
SOCOM’s request specifically calls for small cruise missiles that have already been demonstrated and can be flight qualified within nine months. The RFI notes that the weapons should be able to be launched from a C-130 aircraft, have a range of at least 400 nautical miles and cost around $300,000 per round at a production order of 1,500 units.
Interested vendors have until March 3 to submit white papers.
