U.S. Army plans annual procurement of 8,000 short-range missiles

The U.S. Army is planning to procure up to 8,000 short-range missiles annually. According to requests for information sent to potential suppliers, companies are expected to establish production bases and supplier networks by the end of 2028. The first batch of 8,000 missiles is slated for delivery within two years of contract signing.

The requested missiles must have a range between 500 meters and 8,000 meters or more. They are required to function effectively under electronic interference and in environments lacking GPS signals. The Army is seeking munitions similar to the Hellfire and Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) that can be deployed from unmanned aerial vehicles, ground vehicles, and naval vessels.

Target profiles for these missiles include light and heavy tracked armored vehicles, command posts, air defense radars, counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS), and small, high-speed maritime targets. Lockheed Martin, which has produced over 145,000 Hellfire and JAGM missiles, previously received a $720 million contract to supply these systems to the Army and Navy.