U.S. Air Force Goes All-In To Develop Hypersonic Weapons

A U.S. Air Force Flight Test Center B-52 Stratofortress from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., carries an X-51A Waverider prior to the scramjet’s first hypersonic flight test on March 26, 2010. (U.S. Air Force)

CNBC: Lockheed Martin gets a second hypersonic weapons contract, this time for $480 million, as the US tries to keep pace with Russia and China

* Lockheed Martin secured a $480 million U.S. Air Force contract to design a hypersonic weapon prototype, the Pentagon said Monday.
* The Pentagon's second hypersonic contract comes as Russia and China sprint to add these emerging weapons to their arsenals.
* A hypersonic weapon is a missile that travels at Mach 5 or higher, which is at least five times faster than the speed of sound. That means a hypersonic weapon can travel about one mile per second.

Lockheed Martin has won a second multimillion-dollar Air Force contract to design a hypersonic weapon prototype, as the U.S. tries to match Russia and China in hypersonic development.

The award, which is "not-to-exceed" $480 million, comes four months after the Bethesda, Maryland-based defense giant won its first hypersonic weapons contract. Development will take place in Orlando, Florida, under Lockheed's missiles and fire control unit and is expected to be completed by November 2021.

The Pentagon unveiled the deal Monday.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Good question .... China and Russia are winning the hypersonic missile race — can the US spend its way out of trouble? (Alex Hollings,

Newsrep)

More News On The U.S. Air Force's Hypersonic Weapons Program

Lockheed ‘Seizes High Ground’ With Second Hypersonics Deal -- Breakking Defense
Lockheed nabs another big hypersonic weapons contract -- Defense News
Air Force Doubles Down on Hypersonic Weapons Development with 2nd Contract -- Defense Tech
Lockheed Will Design Both of the US Air Force’s Hypersonic Missiles -- Defense One
Sprint toward new missile-warning satellites begins with first contract award to Lockheed -- Defense News
The US Air Force is ordering more hypersonic weapons just one week after China tested one of its own -- Business Insider
Lockheed Martin contracted for Air Force's hypersonic missile development -- UPI
Air Force wants more hypersonic weapons in growing arms race -- We Are The Mighty/Business Insider
Hypersonic missiles: President Donald Trump boosts spending to arm US forces with new tech -- News.com.au/AP
US orders $480mn-hypersonic missile prototype suitable for ‘great power competition’ -- RT
The U.S. Military Is Going All In on Hypersonic Weapons -- National Interest

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