Lockheed unveils hypersonic glide missile built for lower-cost production

Lockheed Martin has unveiled a new hypersonic glide body designed to give the US military a lower-cost, more scalable long-range strike weapon.

The company announced the Next Generation Glide Body, or NXGB, on June 24, 2026, describing it as a hypersonic weapon focused on affordability, rapid production and operational flexibility.

Lockheed said the new glide missile is intended to provide warfighters with a long-range strike option that can be produced in large numbers for less money than other missile designs.

NXGB combines advanced hypersonic performance with what Lockheed called a “manufacturing-first approach” aimed at reducing cost while delivering greater range and speed than current designs.

The company said the weapon can be launched from multiple platforms across multiple warfighting domains, giving military commanders more flexibility in contested environments.

Hypersonic glide bodies are typically carried into the upper atmosphere by a rocket booster before separating and gliding toward a target at hypersonic speed. Their high speed and maneuverability make them difficult to detect, track and intercept.

“NXGB demonstrates our commitment to delivering next-generation deterrence that is not only effective, but affordable and producible at scale,” said Johnathon Caldwell, Lockheed Martin Vice President and General Manager of Strategic and Missile Defense Systems.

“We designed this capability from the outset to provide greater value to our customers while delivering an operational advantage to the warfighter,” Caldwell said.

Lockheed said the design draws on more than six decades of missile development experience and uses proven technologies, engineering practices and lessons learned from fielded systems.

The company said NXGB also uses a Modular Open Systems Approach and modern design methods to support production at scale.

“The future of deterrence belongs to solutions that combine innovative Modular Open Systems Approach and modern design methods with proven performance,” Caldwell said.

“NXGB reflects a paradigm shift focusing on design for manufacturing at scale while implementing decades of lessons learned designing, producing and delivering mission-critical systems for the warfighter,” he added.

Lockheed said it has invested in purpose-built manufacturing infrastructure and advanced production capabilities to support the program.

The company said the program has completed its Preliminary Design Review, which confirms that the design meets requirements for performance, producibility and affordability.

A flight demonstration is planned for 2027.

The announcement comes as the Pentagon continues to push for hypersonic weapons that can be built in larger numbers and at lower cost.The post Lockheed unveils hypersonic glide missile built for lower-cost production appeared first on AeroTime.

Go to Source