The Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon is designed to strike targets at significant standoff ranges while traveling faster than Mach 5. Lockheed Martin said the B-52-integrated missile combines hypersonic speed and maneuverability, with advanced materials and technology intended to maintain accuracy under extreme flight conditions.
The company broke ground on an expansion of Building P-20 in Troy, Alabama, that will add 47,000 square feet and triple the facility’s production space. The project will create jobs over the next four years, although Lockheed Martin did not specify how many.
The factory will use advanced manufacturing, robotics and digital technologies to build ARRW. Lockheed Martin said it had already paid for preparatory work, materials and equipment needed to start production.
“The ARRW production contract award showcases Lockheed Martin’s ability to develop and begin production on cutting-edge systems at unprecedented speed and scale,” said Tim Cahill, president of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “ARRW expands our weapon systems portfolio and launches a critical, high-precision, and sustained hypersonic capability that will enhance the U.S. Air Force’s strategic advantage across multiple domains.”
The production award follows years of cooperation between Lockheed Martin and the Air Force on development and testing. The company said ARRW’s readiness for production would support rapid deployment of the capability.
According to Lockheed Martin, the missile’s advanced materials are designed to withstand the extreme heat of hypersonic flight. Its onboard technology is intended to preserve accuracy and lethality in those conditions and overcome a range of defenses.
The ARRW expansion forms part of Lockheed Martin’s planned $8 billion to $9 billion investment through 2030 to meet munitions demand. The company said continued research and development would support the program over the longer term and help accelerate delivery to the Air Force.
