The award represents a confluence of two Army goals: boosting its long-range firepower for modern battlefields and expanding the defense industrial base.
Director of Golden Dome for America (GDA) Gen. Mike Guetlein receives a briefing on the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system at a THAAD site in Dededo, Guam, July 16, 2026. Task Force Talon, composed of Soldiers from the 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade and the Guam National Guard, operates the THAAD missile defense system to protect the U.S. territory in the Western Pacific. The site assessment directly supports the rapid development of GDA as a next-generation, layered defense capability designed to protect and shield the Homeland against advanced ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missile threats. (U.S. Navy photo by William J. Busby III)
Along with vehicle designs, the Next Generation Hypersonic Cruise Missile effort is interested in emerging capabilities and innovative test-and-evaluation technologies.
A Boeing Defence Australia’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat, a production representative test aircraft, performs a flyover during Exercise Valiant Shield 2026 over Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, June 25, 2026. (U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Adrien Tran)
U.S. Coast Guard Crew members assigned to Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter USCGC Emlen Tunnell (WPC 1145) man their battle stations as the cutter prepares for a live-fire exercise while transiting the South China Sea, June 6, 2026. The Coast Guard Expeditionary Cutter Squadron is a deployable force of Fast Response Cutters with organic command, logistics and support capabilities, enabling sustained forward operations from partner nation locations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Dakota L. David)
The watchdog found Lockheed Martin's production line is building roughly half the hypersonic missiles the Pentagon needs as manufacturing and quality issues persist.
A pilot assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing flies an AC-130J Ghostrider during a live fire training mission near Hurlburt Field, Florida, Dec. 12, 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Samantha Rossi)
