Tech

Cold War bomber to get 21st-century hypersonic missile

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 07/11/2026, 13:13:25 UTC.

Briefings

Lockheed Martin received a $694 million contract from the US Air Force to produce AGM-183A hypersonic missiles for a B-52 bomber. This marks the first time a modern hypersonic missile is being integrated into a Cold War-era aircraft, bridging a 70-year technological gap. The project involves moving production from prototype to operational arms, with the B-52 serving as the primary testbed for the new missile's capabilities.

Key points

• Lockheed Martin is awarded a $694 million contract by the US Air Force to manufacture AGM-183A hypersonic missiles for the B-52 bomber.
• The B-52 bomber is the primary platform for testing the new hypersonic missile, representing the first operational integration of modern hypersonic technology into a Cold War-era aircraft.

Context

This represents a significant technological bridge between the Cold War era and the 21st century, as Lockheed Martin moves production from prototype to operational arms for the B-52 bomber.

Limitations

Evidence is limited to the contract award and initial production move; specific operational testing data, deployment timelines, or comparative performance metrics against other hypersonic systems are not provided.

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