US Army's new vertical takeoff cruise missile packs HIMARS punch, 180-mile range
Mach Industries has been awarded a significant contract by the Army Applications Laboratory to develop the Strategic Strike, a vertical takeoff (VTO) cruise missile aimed at enhancing the precision strike capabilities of maneuver units.
In a press release on March 4, the company said this contract, granted in the third quarter of 2024, positions Mach Industries at the forefront of defense technology, particularly in improving brigade-level operational efficacy.
Following the contract award, Mach Industries moved quickly to advance the Strategic Strike program, successfully finalizing the missile's design by the end of September 2024.
By mid-January 2025, the company had completed critical testing phases, demonstrating a successful transition from vertical takeoff to full-performance wingborne flight.
Currently, the team is integrating advanced artificial intelligence (AI) visual and radio frequency (RF) sensing technologies to facilitate operations in environments where GPS and communications systems are compromised.
The Strategic Strike missile boasts an impressive operational range of 180 miles (290 kilometers), capable of carrying a warhead exceeding 22 pounds (10 kilograms).
This unique combination of vertical takeoff capability, high speed, and substantial payload capacity distinguishes it in the current landscape of military assets.
Upon completion of the program, Mach Industries aims to deliver a system that blends the range of the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), the speed of a cruise missile, and the targeting precision similar to Hellfire missiles.
The evolving battlefield has introduced new challenges for maneuver units, notably the rise of low-cost, portable intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) assets.
These advancements have enabled forces to gather intelligence from greater distances than they can effectively engage. Modifying high-value targets often necessitates coordination across multiple military branches and organizational levels.
In contrast, the design of the Strategic Strike missile seeks to markedly enhance a maneuver force's capability to strike high-value targets situated beyond the forward lines of troops.
This development is anticipated to yield a flexible strike platform that can deliver significant payloads over extended ranges, enhancing operational effectiveness in various combat scenarios.
One of the critical goals of the Strategic Strike missile is to enable launches from outside the reach of enemy radar systems.
This approach minimizes the likelihood of detection and significantly enhances the survival prospects for launch teams operating in hostile environments.
As a result, tactical maneuver units will be able to target and engage high-value military assets, such as radar installations and artillery units, without placing themselves directly in harm's way.
Ethan Thornton, CEO and Founder of Mach Industries, expressed his appreciation for the contract and his team's progress.
'It's a tremendous opportunity to deliver a capability that could transform military operations. I'm continually impressed by our engineering and manufacturing teams, who have taken Strategic Strike from initial design to flight testing in just 14 weeks. The dedication and talent of our product team will provide valuable advancements for the U.S. military at a critical juncture,' Thornton noted.
He emphasized the anticipation within the company regarding the potential for large-scale missile production to deter future conflicts.
The development of the Strategic Strike missile appears poised to substantially impact how the military addresses emerging threats, reinforcing the importance of innovation in defense technologies.
As Mach Industries works towards bringing this advanced weapon system to deployment, the implications for future combat scenarios remain a topic of significant interest within military circles.
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