Leidos is moving to strengthen the U.S. missile industrial base and prepare for production of thousands of affordable long-range cruise missiles, bringing together key missile-component suppliers to develop and scale production of its new Low-Cost Containerized Missile (LCCM) and the combat-proven AGM-190A Havoc Spear missile.
The summit, held September 26 at Leidos’ global headquarters, aligned industry partners on requirements, manufacturing capacity, timelines and delivery schedules. That work supports the May 13 framework agreement between the Department of War and Leidos for an initial 3,000 LCCM weapons, which is expected to advance the nation’s long-range strike capacity. It also supports the combat-proven AGM-190A Havoc Spear cruise missile, as initial deliveries to Air Force Special Operations Command are now underway.
“The nationwide Leidos cruise missile supply chain team is putting in place the robust plans and resources that’ll allow us quickly scale cruise missile production,” said Leidos Defense President Cindy Gruensfelder. “We’re investing in our people, facilities, and supply chain to deliver proven capability to warfighters with a real sense of urgency.”
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Scaling for America’s security
- Industrial capacity: Leidos’ LCCM and AGM-190A production work will primarily be in Huntsville, Ala., and McEwen, Tenn. Its suppliers will do work in 14 states across the country.
What’s next
- LCCM: The first missiles are expected to be delivered in 2027 to support test and evaluation, with full-rate production anticipated in 2028 and 2029.
- AGM-190A Havoc Spear: Leidos has begun initial deliveries to Air Force Special Operations Command and received a summer 2026 contract award from U.S. Special Operations Command for 45 missiles, with deliveries under that award expected to begin in fall 2027.
“Demand has never been higher, and our customers are counting on us to deliver dependable propulsion for today’s operational fleets and future programs,” said Jessica Villardi, vice president of Fighter and Mobility Programs at Pratt & Whitney. “Pratt & Whitney is investing in capacity and advanced manufacturing to strengthen the industrial base and accelerate delivery of the proven, dependable power our customers need.”
“I think this is going to be the new paradigm going forward in delivering capability to the Department of War,” said Ben Nicholson, Chief Commercial Officer for Divergent. “After a more than 30-year career in D.C., I haven’t seen a prime pull suppliers together like this, at pace, with genuine urgency, and share information the way things were done today.”
The big picture
Leidos brings decades of experience designing and integrating missile systems, launchers and precision strike technology for the U.S. military. Its portfolio includes the Army’s Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 (IFPC Inc 2) launcher, hypersonic strike technology and advanced guidance and sensor capabilities for air and missile defense.
SOURCE: Leidos
