The War Zone
• Joseph Trevithick
The U.S. Navy is advancing Blackbeard, a lower-cost, rapidly producible standoff weapon, with the missile recently seen flying on an F/A-18 Super Hornet for the first time. The service aims to field the capability no later than 2028.
Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons
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The U.S. Navy is advancing Blackbeard, a lower-cost, rapidly producible standoff weapon, with the missile recently seen flying on an F/A-18 Super Hornet for the first time. The service aims to field the capability no later than 2028.
Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs says Riga is working to acquire Anduril’s Barracuda long-range cruise missiles after visiting the U.S. defense company and meeting founder Palmer Luckey. The proposed deal would significantly extend Latvia’s precision-strike reach as NATO’s eastern flank expands conventional long-range capabilities.
York Space Systems told investors that winning work on the $185 billion Golden Dome missile defense project would drive growth, but says its prospects are being challenged by SpaceX’s dominance in Pentagon contracting. The episode highlights the competitive pressure facing space companies pursuing major defense programs.
High activity
Saab says its RBS15 Mk4 anti-ship missile is ready for operational introduction with Sweden’s Gripen fighters, while the company signs space-focused MoUs with SSC Space, OHB Sweden and Ericsson. Separately, India has ordered additional SAT-SAAW glide bombs for its air force.
North Korean state media says the country launched a new missile type on Sept. 20 fitted with what it described as a hypersonic glide vehicle. The claim points to continued development of maneuverable high-speed weapons, although the report provides no independent confirmation of the test’s performance or capability.
Kratos and GE Aerospace successfully ignited the first GEK800 turbofan propulsion system at Kratos’ X-58 test facility in San Diego. The milestone opens a broader testing campaign and keeps the cruise-missile engine program on schedule as it moves toward large-volume production, including potential JASSM applications.
North Korea says its latest missile tests involved a weapons system of “great significance,” while released imagery indicates the launch involved a missile previously described as hypersonic. The announcement highlights Pyongyang’s continued development and publicization of advanced missile capabilities.
Lockheed Martin will enter production of the Precision Strike Missile Increment 2 after a successful test against moving maritime targets, under a U.S. Army indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract worth up to $1.2 billion. The agreement advances PrSM’s anti-ship and moving land-target capability while further flight testing continues.
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