Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons News

Wall Street Journal • Heather Somerville

Castelion and startups raise $350M as U.S. races to close hypersonic gap with Russia and China

Castelion and peer startups have secured $350 million in fresh capital as the U.S. moves to close a hypersonic weapons gap with Russia and China. The funding will accelerate development and integration of Mach‑5 strike systems as industry and government push to field competitive capabilities.

2025-12-05T03:28:58.414019-08:00

FlightGlobal

MBDA Meteor integration nears flight trials after F-35A ground vibration and fit checks at Edwards AFB

2025-12-04T02:24:08.637341-08:00

DefenseNews.com

Pentagon pre‑qualifies 1,000+ firms for Golden Dome and missile‑defense frameworks; MDA distances SHIELD list

2025-12-03T11:17:28.247428-08:00

The War Zone

Russian Shahed/Geran-2 loitering munitions recovered carrying Soviet R-60 air-to-air missiles

2025-12-01T12:02:23.219926-08:00

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The War Zone

Ukrainian F-16s spotted fitted with APKWS II laser-guided rockets effective against drones Photos show Ukrainian F-16s equipped with external sighting containers and APKWS II laser-guided rockets, enabling laser-guided or beam-corrected strikes. APKWS delivers a low-cost, high-volume counter to swarming drones and some cruise missiles, addressing a critical short-range air-defence gap.

2025-12-05T13:06:18.879506-08:00

Ukrainian F-16s spotted fitted with APKWS II laser-guided rockets effective against drones

Aviation Week

Australia to begin domestic production of Lockheed Martin GMLRS missiles this month Australia will begin in‑country production of Lockheed Martin’s Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) missiles as a new production line opens this month. The move establishes sovereign munitions manufacturing capability, brings local industry into missile supply chains, and aims to shorten logistics and sustainment lines for future Australian ordnance needs.

2025-12-05T08:02:02.539593-08:00

Australia to begin domestic production of Lockheed Martin GMLRS missiles this month

SpaceNews.com

Northrop Grumman's SMART Demo fires two solid rocket motors built in under 12 months Northrop Grumman successfully static‑fired two new solid rocket motors — SMASH!22 and BAMM!29 2.0 — on Dec. 4 at Promontory, Utah under its SMART Demo program. Built in less than 12 months, the motors produced initial test data the company called “as expected and promising,” showcasing new materials and faster, lower‑cost development.

2025-12-05T05:08:17.332492-08:00

Northrop Grumman's SMART Demo fires two solid rocket motors built in under 12 months

Wall Street Journal

Castelion and startups raise $350M as U.S. races to close hypersonic gap with Russia and China Castelion and peer startups have secured $350 million in fresh capital as the U.S. moves to close a hypersonic weapons gap with Russia and China. The funding will accelerate development and integration of Mach‑5 strike systems as industry and government push to field competitive capabilities.

2025-12-05T03:28:58.414019-08:00

Castelion and startups raise $350M as U.S. races to close hypersonic gap with Russia and China

FlightGlobal

South Korea launches KRW435.9bn SRAAM‑II programme to arm KF‑21, development due by 2032 South Korea has kicked off a KRW435.9 billion (≈$296M) programme to develop an indigenous Short‑Range Air‑to‑Air Missile (SRAAM‑II) for the domestically produced KF‑21, led by Hanwha and LIG Nex1, with development scheduled for completion by 2032. DAPA also awarded a KRW225bn Cheongnam production contract.

2025-12-04T22:32:00.504001-08:00

South Korea launches KRW435.9bn SRAAM‑II programme to arm KF‑21, development due by 2032

FlightGlobal

MBDA Meteor integration nears flight trials after F-35A ground vibration and fit checks at Edwards AFB Lockheed Martin, MBDA and the F-35 Joint Program Office completed ground-based integration tests — including vibration, fit checks and internal weapons‑bay structural trials — on the CTOL F-35A at Edwards AFB. The results pave the way for upcoming flight trials of the European Meteor beyond‑visual‑range air‑to‑air missile.

2025-12-04T02:24:08.637341-08:00

MBDA Meteor integration nears flight trials after F-35A ground vibration and fit checks at Edwards AFB

The War Zone

F/A-18 Super Hornet Employs Rare AGM-84H/K SLAM‑ER in U.S. Strikes on Houthi Targets The U.S. used the seldom‑seen AGM‑84H/K SLAM‑ER from an F/A‑18 Super Hornet during strikes on Houthi targets earlier this year, one of a suite of precision‑guided munitions employed. The move highlights continued operational use of long‑range, highly accurate standoff weapons.

2025-12-03T11:25:42.748885-08:00

F/A-18 Super Hornet Employs Rare AGM-84H/K SLAM‑ER in U.S. Strikes on Houthi Targets

DefenseNews.com

Pentagon pre‑qualifies 1,000+ firms for Golden Dome and missile‑defense frameworks; MDA distances SHIELD list The Pentagon pre‑qualified more than 1,000 firms — including BAE Systems, Booz Allen, L3Harris and General Atomics — to compete across a $151 billion missile‑defense contracting framework for the Space Force's Golden Dome effort. The Missile Defense Agency says the SHIELD vendor list is not a Golden Dome preview.

2025-12-03T11:17:28.247428-08:00

Pentagon pre‑qualifies 1,000+ firms for Golden Dome and missile‑defense frameworks; MDA distances SHIELD list

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