Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons News

Reuters

South Korea tests first homegrown hypersonic glide vehicle; North Korea disputes flight claim

South Korea says it has tested its first domestically developed hypersonic glide vehicle, designed for high-speed maneuverability, precision guidance and extreme heat resistance. North Korea’s missile chief questioned whether the vehicle actually achieved hypersonic flight, according to state media KCNA.

Reuters

South Korea rejects North Korean challenge to its hypersonic glide vehicle test

South Korea’s defense ministry pushed back against a claim by North Korea’s missile chief questioning Seoul’s recent test launch of a hypersonic glide vehicle. The exchange puts the test and competing claims about the weapon’s capabilities at the center of tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

DefenseNews.com

Lockheed Martin to invest $300 million in Texas plant as missile demand drives production expansion

Lockheed Martin plans a $300 million expansion of its Grand Prairie, Texas, facility, which supports programs across its Missiles and Fire Control business. Hadrian will install a 24-machine automated cell there in early 2027 to increase parts output for PAC-3 MSE, THAAD and other missiles; the investment is part of a plan to create 6,000 U.S. jobs.

DefenseNews.com

Lockheed unveils PAC-3 Edge as demand for Patriot interceptors surges

Lockheed Martin has introduced the PAC-3 Edge, a proposed next-generation interceptor for Patriot systems, saying it improves on earlier weapons as demand for advanced interceptors rises. The announcement comes as Ukraine faces critically low stocks while Russian strikes intensify, underscoring pressure on a globally depleted supply of missiles capable of intercepting ballistic threats.

Bloomberg

UK sends Ukraine additional Storm Shadow missiles ahead of winter

The UK is supplying Ukraine with more long-range Storm Shadow missiles to help disrupt Russian military operations targeting civilian infrastructure before winter, according to people familiar with the matter. The report gives no details on the number of missiles or delivery schedule.

Reuters

High activity

Ukraine says Neptune strike destroyed four Su-34s and damaged two at Russian air base

Satellite imagery of Borisoglebsk air base in Russia’s Voronezh region appears to support Ukraine’s claim that a Neptune missile attack on the night of Oct. 14–15 hit six Su-34 fighter-bombers. Ukrainian officials said four aircraft were destroyed and two badly damaged.

Bloomberg Law

US Army acknowledges hypersonic weapon is more than three years late to field

The Army says it has not yet fully fielded the United States’ first hypersonic weapon, acknowledging a delay of more than three years in deploying the technology. The setback leaves the program behind schedule as the US seeks to narrow its hypersonic capabilities gap with China and Russia.

Payload

Reports span orbital interceptor design, Sentinel reentry-vehicle testing and missile production advances

The articles describe several separate defense developments: space-based interceptor programs entering preliminary design and component testing, the Air Force testing a new Sentinel reentry vehicle, and Lockheed Martin formalizing automated missile-parts manufacturing with Hadrian. A separate report covers Airbus linking German and Swedish air defenses through SAMOC.