Air Force awards Lockheed nearly $1 billion for hypersonic weapon design review, readiness support

The Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a $989 million contract for the Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon critical design review, test and production readiness support, according to a Dec. 2 Defense Department contract notice.

ARRW is one of two hypersonic prototypes the company is providing to the service. The other, called the Hypersonic Conventional Strike Weapon, is also progressing toward a CDR.

Both reviews will occur in the second quarter of fiscal year 2020, Jasmine Porterfield, an Air Force spokeswoman, confirmed in an email Monday.

Lockheed will perform the CDR contract work for ARRW in Orlando, FL, through December 2022. The service obligated $23 million in research and development funds at the time of the award.

Meanwhile, the Air Force has not released information on a CDR contract for HCSW.