Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons News

DefenseNews.com • Michael Peck

GAO: Navy Zumwalt-CPS hypersonic installation running ~24 months behind; Lockheed missile-building at scale plagued by manufactu

A Government Accountability Office review found the U.S. Navy’s effort to upgrade three Zumwalt-class destroyers with the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic missile capability is about 24 months behind schedule. GAO also cited manufacturing and quality-control challenges preventing the program from reaching planned production rates, raising concerns about wasted money and time within the broader $50B-plus hypersonic push.

8 Sources

2026-07-17T12:58:41.317870-07:00

Breaking Defense

U.S. Air Force & Anduril fire AIM-120 AMRAAM from YFQ-44A Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone—first live air-to-air missile shot

26 Sources

2026-07-15T08:17:03.882731-07:00

defence-blog.com

US approves up to $1.96B sale of BAE Systems APKWS II guidance sections to Saudi Arabia

4 Sources

2026-07-16T05:16:58.169481-07:00

SpaceNews.com

U.S. defense budget fight sharpens: Air Force chief seeks supplemental as procurement shifts, while Air Force and Space Force pu

4 Sources

2026-07-16T08:14:50.576553-07:00

Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons News Timeline

DefenseNews.com

8 sources

GAO: Navy Zumwalt-CPS hypersonic installation running ~24 months behind; Lockheed missile-building at scale plagued by manufactu A Government Accountability Office review found the U.S. Navy’s effort to upgrade three Zumwalt-class destroyers with the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic missile capability is about 24 months behind schedule. GAO also cited manufacturing and quality-control challenges preventing the program from reaching planned production rates, raising concerns about wasted money and time within the broader $50B-plus hypersonic push.

2026-07-17T12:58:41.317870-07:00

GAO: Navy Zumwalt-CPS hypersonic installation running ~24 months behind; Lockheed missile-building at scale plagued by manufactu

The War Zone

None source

USS Zumwalt return to fleet pushed back amid issues tied to hybrid-electric power plant and hypersonic missile upgrade The Navy’s USS Zumwalt is set to return to fleet after a long-anticipated hypersonic missile upgrade, but prior timelines have slipped. The delay is attributed to issues related to Zumwalt’s highly powerful hybrid-electric power plant and other contributing factors.

2026-07-17T12:57:47.112080-07:00

USS Zumwalt return to fleet pushed back amid issues tied to hybrid-electric power plant and hypersonic missile upgrade

SpaceNews.com

4 sources

U.S. defense budget fight sharpens: Air Force chief seeks supplemental as procurement shifts, while Air Force and Space Force pu As Congress debates overall U.S. defense spending, U.S. Air Force leadership is urging a supplemental request this year tied to “Epic Fury” costs, alongside calls to accelerate major weapon procurement. Separately, reports say the Air Force may more than triple its JASSM/LRASM buy over the FYDP, while a Space Force nominee backs a $71.1 billion request to more than double the service’s budget to counter China’s space-enabled capabilities.

2026-07-16T08:14:50.576553-07:00

U.S. defense budget fight sharpens: Air Force chief seeks supplemental as procurement shifts, while Air Force and Space Force pu

defence-blog.com

4 sources

US approves up to $1.96B sale of BAE Systems APKWS II guidance sections to Saudi Arabia The U.S. State Department has approved a possible $1.96 billion sale of up to 20,000 BAE Systems Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) II guidance sections to Saudi Arabia. The package includes 10,000 air-to-air and 10,000 air-to-ground guidance kits and is intended to strengthen Riyadh’s ability to counter Iranian drones.

2026-07-16T05:16:58.169481-07:00

US approves up to $1.96B sale of BAE Systems APKWS II guidance sections to Saudi Arabia

DefenseNews.com

3 sources

US Air Force shifts to mass-producible cruise missiles to cut strike costs The U.S. Air Force is pivoting toward cruise missiles it can procure in very large quantities. The goal is to use lower unit-cost weapons to enable multi-shot effects—potentially firing many missiles for less than the service previously paid to shoot a single weapon.

2026-07-15T12:58:45.749906-07:00

US Air Force shifts to mass-producible cruise missiles to cut strike costs

DefenseNews.com

2 sources

China pairs maritime “coast guard” signaling with ICBM tests to deter rivals over Asia territorial claims Experts say Beijing has used both short-term maritime pressure and long-term strategic-strike demonstrations—starting with coast guard actions and followed by an ICBM test—to discourage challenges to its territorial claims in Asia. The approach is framed as deterrence-by-visibility across multiple time horizons.

2026-07-15T08:45:42.111077-07:00

China pairs maritime “coast guard” signaling with ICBM tests to deter rivals over Asia territorial claims

DefenseNews.com

None source

First the coast guard, then an ICBM: China tests new, long-term ways to hold off rivals in Asia

2026-07-15T08:45:42.111077-07:00

First the coast guard, then an

Breaking Defense

26 sources

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U.S. Air Force & Anduril fire AIM-120 AMRAAM from YFQ-44A Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone—first live air-to-air missile shot The U.S. Air Force conducted a live-fire test over the Mojave Desert in which Anduril’s developmental YFQ-44A CCA drone externally carried and launched a Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM radar-guided air-to-air missile. The test marks the first time a U.S. Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone has fired a live air-to-air missile.

2026-07-15T08:17:03.882731-07:00

U.S. Air Force & Anduril fire AIM-120 AMRAAM from YFQ-44A Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone—first live air-to-air missile shot

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