Orlando Business Journal By Matthew Richardson 8/23/2018
Lockheed Martin Corp.’s southwest Orlando unit may be in line for more activity, thanks to its work on a super-fast weapon.
The Bethesda, Md.-based defense giant’s (NYSE: LMT) Missiles & Fire Control division this year snagged two U.S. Air Force contracts worth a combined $1.4 billion to design, review and test hypersonic missiles — weapons that can travel a blistering 3,836 miles per hour. Lockheed Martin got its latest work agreement, valued at $480 million, on Aug. 13. The first deal, at $928 million, was awarded last April.
Together, the deals give Orlando a piece of some growing military action. The U.S. Air Force is paying closer attention to the development of hypersonic weapons to keep up with rival military forces in Russia and China — both of which are developing their own version of ultra-fast warheads. China seems to be ahead of the development curve, with its first hypersonic missile expected to be ready in 2020.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Air Force has set a goal for Lockheed Martin to have a working prototype by 2021 — a time frame it considers accelerated. “We are going to go fast and leverage the best technology available to get hypersonic capability to the warfighter as soon as possible,†said Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson in a prepared statement.
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