Tucson-based Raytheon unit picked to develop anti-hypersonic missile | Subscriber

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Artist’s impression of Raytheon’s conceptual design for the Glide Phase Interceptor, which is being developed to destroy a new generation of hypersonic missiles that can travel more than five times the speed of sound.

Raytheon Missiles & Defense

Raytheon Missiles & Defense, based in Tucson, is one of three companies selected to develop concepts for the country’s first interceptor designed to destroy a new generation of super-fast missiles.

Raytheon said the weapon called the Glide Phase Interceptor, or GPI, will defeat rapidly evolving hypersonic missiles – weapons that can reach more than five times the speed of sound and maneuver quickly in flight.

The Missile Defense Agency gave Raytheon and rivals Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman prototyping jobs of varying amounts to develop the GPI as the Pentagon seeks to develop both offensive and defensive hypersonic capabilities in response to aggressive hypersonic testing programs from China to speed up and Russia.

Raytheon received an order valued at nearly $ 20 million, with an initial commitment of $ 8 million to develop its GPI concept in Tucson and Huntsville, Alabama, with the contract expected to be closed in September 2022, according to a contract announcement by the Pentagon will.

Lockheed received a similar amount contract to develop its concept and Northrop received approximately $ 19 million for similar prototype work.

While many details of the GPI prototypes remain a secret, a Raytheon executive said the company is building on what it has learned from manufacturing anti-ballistic missiles to address future hypersonic threats.

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