Key Takeaways
- The Pentagon awarded Kratos a contract potentially worth $1.45 billion to enhance hypersonic flight testing.
- This contract is part of the MACH-TB 2.0 program, aimed at increasing hypersonic test flight frequency and reducing development risks.
- Kratos has previously achieved significant success with its hypersonic systems, including the Erinyes vehicle and Zeus solid rocket motors.
Increased Hypersonic Testing Efforts
The Pentagon has awarded defense technology company Kratos a contract that could amount to $1.45 billion over five years to enhance the frequency of hypersonic flight testing. This contract is part of the Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed program, or MACH-TB 2.0, which follows the initial phase focused on testbed design and demonstration led by Leidos.
MACH-TB 2.0 aims to substantially increase the number of hypersonic test flights. “MACH-TB 2.0 will provide an affordable bridge between hypersonic ground tests and system-level flight tests. This will reduce overall hypersonic development risks and time and provide rapid transition of innovative hypersonic technologies to the warfighter,” a Kratos spokesperson stated.
This latest contract represents the largest-ever awarded to Kratos, reflecting the company’s recent achievements in hypersonic technology. The Erinyes vehicle, developed in less than three years for under $15 million, successfully reached hypersonic speeds during a June test coordinated with the Missile Defense Agency. Additionally, Kratos’s Zeus solid rocket motors completed their inaugural flight in October, setting the stage for a potential production program to launch within the next quarter.
During the first phase of the MACH-TB program, Kratos participated as a subcontractor, facilitating over 25 test flights. As the program transitions to its next phase, Kratos will take the lead role, orchestrating a team that includes Leidos, Rocket Lab, and Purdue University.
Hypersonic systems, capable of flying and maneuvering at speeds exceeding Mach 5, have become a focal point for the U.S. military, especially with the advancements made by global competitors such as China and Russia. Notably, Russia successfully launched a hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile in Ukraine in November, underscoring the urgency for the U.S. to enhance its hypersonic capabilities.
The MACH-TB initiative was established in 2022 to improve the Defense Department’s hypersonic testing infrastructure, which has noticeably hindered weapon development efforts. The program, led by the Pentagon’s Test Resource Management Center and the Naval Surface Warfare Center’s Crane Division, is designed to validate hypersonic subsystems, advanced materials, and other technologies during the development of hypersonic systems. Traditionally, testing opportunities for individual components in a hypersonic flight environment were quite rare.
Courtney Albon, a recognized reporter for C4ISRNET, specializes in space and emerging technology within the U.S. military sector, having covered significant defense-related matters for over a decade, including key acquisition, budget, and policy issues.
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