Team Will Deliver Operational Missiles for USAF
Raytheon Missiles & Defense and Northrop Grumman have been selected by the US Air Force to develop the Hypersonics Attack Cruise Missile (HACM) – a first-of-its-kind weapon developed in conjunction with the Southern Cross Integrated Flight Research Experiment (SCIFiRE), a US Australia project. The team is to deliver operationally ready missiles to the USAF.
“Raytheon Missiles & Defense continues to be at the forefront of hypersonic weapon and air-breathing technology development,” explained Wes Kremer, the company’s President. “With advanced threats emerging around the globe, the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile will provide our warfighters a much-needed capability.”
HACM is an air-breathing munition, powered by a scramjet, which uses high vehicle speed to forcibly compress incoming air before combustion, enabling sustained flight at Mach 5 or greater. By traveling at these speeds, hypersonic weapons are able to reach their targets faster than traditional missiles, allowing them to potentially evade defensive systems.
“The Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile creates a new class of strategically important weapons for the US military,” offered Mary Petryszyn, President, Northrop Grumman Defense Systems. “Our scramjet propulsion technology is ushering in a new era for faster, more survivable and highly capable weapons.”
The two companies have been collaborating to develop, manufacture and integrate Northrop Grumman’s scramjets into Raytheon’s air-breathing hypersonic weapons since 2019. Their combined efforts will enable the next generation of tactical missile systems.
