Lockheed Martin LMT.N said on Wednesday it has opened a hypersonics system integration lab at its Huntsville campus as it pushes to develop next-generation weapons.
Hypersonic weapons, which can travel at more than five times the speed of sound and evade traditional defenses, are at the center of an arms race between the United States and China. Unlike traditional ballistic missiles that follow predictable trajectories, hypersonic weapons can change course during flight, making them extremely difficult to intercept with conventional air defense systems.
Lockheed's 17,000-square-foot facility will include advanced test equipment, simulation tools and an integration environment.
“Our continued investment in world‑class facilities underscores Lockheed Martin’s commitment to providing the engineers, scientists and partners with the space, tools and collaborative environments they need to stay ahead of emerging threats,” said Johnathon Caldwell, vice president and general manager of Strategic and Missile Defense Systems at Lockheed Martin.
The new facility is part of a larger capital program that now totals roughly $529 million and includes 719,000 square feet of facilities under construction or planned, the company said. In the last five years, Lockheed Martin Strategic and Missile Defense has spent about $200 million on over 400,000 square feet of infrastructure and is reportedly set to commit another $500 million to further expand its capabilities.
“Hypersonic weapons are reshaping the future of military defense by delivering unmatched speed and maneuverability that outpace traditional threats,” said Holly Molmer, program management director for Lockheed Martin. “Their rapid response capability strengthens deterrence, ensuring potential adversaries understand that any aggression can be met instantly and decisively. As the pace of conflict accelerates, hypersonic systems become essential to preserving peace and protecting national security.”
US companies like Castelion, Stratolaunch, RTX's Raytheon RTX.N, unit and Lockheed Martin LMT.N, are all working to develop hypersonic arms,
In October, defense start-up Castelion said it won contracts to integrate its Blackbeard hypersonic strike weapon with current US Army systems.