- Leidos has signed a multi-year contract with GA-EMS to support the production of hypersonic weapon program components.
- The Common Hypersonic Glide Body is shared by the Army and Navy, enhancing the adaptability of the weapon systems.
- The hypersonic glide body can maneuver in flight, increasing the difficulty of interception.
- Thermal protection systems are crucial for hypersonic vehicles, addressing challenges posed by aerodynamic heating.
U.S. defense technology company Leidos has selected General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) to manufacture components for the hypersonic weapons program shared by the U.S. Army and Navy, expanding its role from prototype development to production. Under a multi-year subcontract, the company will provide precision-machined metal parts and cable components for the Common Hypersonic Glide Body (CHGB) by 2031. This work supports two long-range strike programs: the Army's Dark Eagle and the Navy's Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS).
Both programs utilize the same glide body, allowing the two services to share key weapon components while adapting broader missile systems to their respective ground-based and sea-based launch platforms. This decision is based on a $2.7 billion contract awarded to Leidos by the Army in May 2026. The agreement integrates the CHGB and thermal protection system programs into a single effort aimed at advancing technology from prototype to production and improving component supply.
Shared Design of Hypersonic Weapons
The Common Hypersonic Glide Body serves as the maneuverable payload portion of the Army and Navy's hypersonic weapons. It is accelerated to high speeds and altitudes by a rocket booster before separating and gliding to its target through the atmosphere. Hypersonic flight typically refers to speeds exceeding Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound. Unlike traditional ballistic missile warheads that follow a relatively predictable trajectory after the boost phase, hypersonic glide bodies are designed to maneuver during flight. This makes their flight paths harder to predict and complicates interception. The Army's Dark Eagle system, formerly known as the Long Range Hypersonic Weapon, uses a ground launch system, while the Navy's Conventional Prompt Strike program is developing a sea-based version intended for deployment on submarines and surface vessels.
Although both utilize a shared glide body, their launch and boost arrangements differ. The common design aims to reduce redundant development work and allow the services to benefit from shared testing and production.
Thermal Protection Challenges for Hypersonic Vehicles
The Congressional Research Service describes the glide body as a core component of both programs, along with their shared missile booster architecture. GA-EMS will manufacture precision-machined metal parts, substructures, and cable components for the glide body. The company specifically noted that it will produce cable components related to the control module for the elevons, which are associated with the vehicle's aerodynamic control surfaces. The elevons combine the functions of elevators and ailerons, helping the aircraft-like vehicle control its pitch and roll. Their movement allows the glide body to adjust its direction and maneuver during atmospheric flight. The electrical connections supporting these controls are equally important, as cable components transmit signals and power between different subsystems, while precision-machined parts provide the necessary physical structure to mount and integrate hardware.
Both must meet stringent manufacturing and inspection requirements to ensure the system operates under harsh flight conditions.
The company stated that it will use specialized machining equipment, experienced manufacturers, and inspection processes to maintain accuracy and repeatability. The company previously produced prototype subcomponents for the glide body and provided hardware and cables during the successful CHGB flight tests in 2020. This new subcontract reflects a broader effort to translate the Army and Navy's hypersonic research and testing into a repeatable production program. In May 2026, Leidos indicated that its $2.7 billion Army contract would combine glide body and thermal protection work to streamline development and accelerate delivery.
Thermal protection is a particularly critical engineering challenge for hypersonic vehicles. Traveling at several times the speed of sound in the atmosphere generates intense aerodynamic heating, placing stringent demands on the vehicle's external materials and protective structures. Independent thermal protection system programs are designed to address this challenge.
The Army and Navy have also conducted joint flight tests of the weapon system. In December 2024, the Department of Defense announced that the hypersonic missile successfully completed end-to-end testing, building on previous tests of the Common Hypersonic Glide Body. GA-EMS has not disclosed the value of its subcontract or the number of components it will manufacture. Nevertheless, the company's work before 2031 will add another production partner to a project that relies on coordinated specialized mechanical, electrical, and thermal technologies.
Item Specification Glide Body (CHGB) Maneuverable payload portion of hypersonic weapons Speed Exceeding Mach 5 Manufactured Components Precision-machined metal parts and cable components
Trends in the Development of Hypersonic Weapon Systems
The development of hypersonic weapon systems marks a significant advancement in modern military technology. With the collaboration between Leidos and GA-EMS, the production of these weapons will be more efficient, leveraging shared designs to reduce redundant development. The maneuverability of hypersonic glide bodies makes them more threatening in combat, as traditional defense systems struggle to respond. Additionally, the challenges posed by thermal protection systems highlight the high demands of hypersonic flight on materials and engineering, which have far-reaching implications for future military applications.