Raytheon beat Boeing and Lockheed Martin to receive nearly $1 billion from the Pentagon to develop hypersonic missiles for aircraft

Raytheon Missiles & Defense has signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense to develop hypersonic missiles for the Air Force.

Here's What We Know

The contract is worth $985 million. The United States Air Force wants deliveries of hypersonic missiles to begin in fiscal year 2027. The development will be part of the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile program.

Raytheon Missiles & Defense competed for the project with two manufacturers, Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The company is committed to developing an air-launched hypersonic cruise missile for Air Force aircraft. Specifically, the B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber can carry up to two dozen missiles. The service wants a weapon that can be fired beyond the range of enemy air defense systems.

The hypersonic cruise missile will be able to travel in the upper atmosphere and reach speeds of up to 6200 km/h (M=5.02). The Australian government is also involved in the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile program.

Source: @RaytheonDefense