UK shortlists 90 companies for billion-dollar hypersonic missile program

Europe, News May 15, 2024 , by IRIA No Comments

The United Kingdom has unveiled plans to equip its armed forces with a homegrown hypersonic cruise missile within the next decade. The UK Ministry of Defense has picked 90 companies and organizations from industry and academia to compete for a program to develop hypersonic missile capabilities.

According to a statement released by the British Defense Ministry’s Defense Equipment & Support (DE&S) acquisition organization, the chosen companies and organizations will have the opportunity to compete for contracts across the eight-lot framework, with a total value of up to $1.26 billion over the next seven years.

“Hypersonics will be a landmark capability of the future and it is essential we keep pace with the developments of our adversaries,” Minister for Defense Procurement James Cartlidge said. The objective behind the latest initiative is to foster collaboration on state-of-the-art technology and expedite the development of advanced hypersonic missile capabilities for the United Kingdom, the statement added.

The program would prioritize the rapid advancement of capabilities, incorporating mechanisms to synchronize procurement and development objectives to mitigate “traditional challenges that hinder capability acquisition,” as stated by DE&S. The first phase of the initiative will identify suppliers tasked with supporting research, development, and testing of hypersonic technologies, ultimately leading to the realization of a field-ready capability.

Concept image of a hypersonic weapon by UK’s DE&S — *^{Concept image of a hypersonic weapon by UK’s Defense Equipment and Support (DE&S). (Image Credit: DE&S)}*

Apart from the established weapons manufacturers and academic institutions, nearly half of the program’s shortlisted suppliers consist of small and medium-sized enterprises, the majority of which are in the UK, as reported by DE&S. The framework will periodically welcome new suppliers every six to 12 months in the long run, ensuring that the defense ministry has access to the new technologies and emerging market capabilities.

Hypersonic missile race

A hypersonic missile is a cutting-edge weapon system designed to travel at speeds exceeding five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5, and potentially reaching velocities of Mach 20 or higher. These missiles utilize advanced propulsion systems, such as scramjet engines, to achieve unparalleled speed and maneuverability, making them extremely difficult to detect and intercept by traditional air defense systems.

Hypersonic missiles offer rapid response times and the capability to strike targets with precision over long distances, presenting a significant challenge to existing defense mechanisms. Due to their incredible speed and agility, hypersonic missiles have the potential to revolutionize military strategy by offering enhanced strike capabilities and the ability to penetrate even the most sophisticated air defense networks.

^{Artist rendering of the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC), the result of a partnership between the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Air Force Research Lab, Lockheed Martin and Aerojet Rocketdyne. (Image Credit: Lockheed Martin/DARPA)}

Hypersonic missile technologies have been tested by both the United States and France, whereas China and Russia are reported to have deployed hypersonic missiles capable of delivering conventional or nuclear warheads.