Leidos has been contracted by the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to assist in the development of an air-breathing hypersonic system.
The purpose of the $334 million contract is to create a large hypersonic platform with greater range and payload capacity than existing systems.
A scramjet engine will be built into the system to glide long distances at greater than five times the speed of sound. Additionally, the air-breathing platform will perform intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations.
The US Department of Defense affirms that the system’s standardized payload interface will pave the way for significant technological advancements in the coming years.
Contract work is scheduled to be performed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio until October 2028.
