Lockheed Martin Secures $534M Contract for Conventional Prompt Strike Development

Lockheed Martin Space has received a $534 million contract modification to support systems engineering, development, and testing for the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) program.

The work under this contract is expected to be completed by June 19, 2025.

The CPS, previously known as Prompt Global Strike (PGS), is a United States military initiative aimed at developing a system capable of delivering a precision-guided conventional weapon strike anywhere in the world within one hour, akin to a nuclear ICBM. The CPS is a conventional, boost-glide hypersonic weapon system. The missile comprises a two-stage solid rocket motor booster and a Common Hypersonic Glide Body containing a kinetic energy projectile warhead. The booster features a thrust vector control system for in-flight maneuverability and utilizes cold-gas ejection for launch.

The CPS hypersonic boost-glide weapon system achieves extended missile range at speeds exceeding Mach 5. U.S. Combatant Commanders will deploy the CPS from Zumwalt-class destroyers and Virginia-class submarines, enabling penetration of air defenses to strike high-value, time-sensitive targets. The integration of CPS capability with the stealth and mobility of the Zumwalt-class destroyers will provide the U.S. Navy with its first sea-based hypersonic strike capability.

In February 2023, Lockheed Martin secured a $2 billion contract from the U.S. Navy to deploy the CPS weapon system on Zumwalt-class destroyers, including launchers, weapon control, all-up-rounds (AURs), and platform integration. Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics are collaborating on the project, with Northrop Grumman designing the missile motor and Dynetics developing the hypersonic glide body. In January 2024, VTG received an $80 million contract from the U.S. Navy's Strategic Systems Programs (SSP) to provide engineering services for the CPS program, covering R&D, systems engineering, test planning, logistics, and technical support. Additionally, in October 2023, X-Bow Systems secured a $64 million contract to supply large solid rocket motors (SRMs) for the CPS weapon system and the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW).