Lockheed Martin has unveiled a next-generation hypersonic glide body designed to provide a more affordable and rapidly producible long-range strike capability.

The new system, called NXGB, is intended to combine advanced speed, survivability, and scalability to meet evolving national security requirements while supporting faster production and deployment.

According to the company, the hypersonic glide body is aimed at expanding strike options for defense forces by delivering high-performance capabilities in a cost-effective and adaptable platform.

“NXGB demonstrates our commitment to delivering next-generation deterrence that is not only effective, but affordable and producible at scale,” said Johnathon Caldwell, Lockheed Martin vice president and general manager of Strategic and Missile Defense Systems, in a statement.

Recently, the US government awarded Lockheed Martin a $35 billion Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) contract to quadruple interceptor production and accelerate deliveries for allied defense needs.

Future strike platform

Lockheed’s Next Generation Glide Body (NXGB) is a new hypersonic platform designed to deliver an affordable, rapidly producible long-range strike capability for future military operations. The company says the system combines advanced hypersonic performance, survivability, and scalability while emphasizing lower production costs and faster manufacturing.

Unlike existing hypersonic systems, NXGB was developed with a manufacturing-first approach that enables greater range and velocity while supporting large-scale production. The platform is designed to provide the US military with a cost-effective deterrence capability that can be produced quickly to meet growing operational demands, according to a statement by Lockheed.

The glide body is compatible with multiple launch platforms across land, sea, and other operational domains, giving warfighters greater flexibility to conduct long-range precision strikes in contested environments while reducing risk to deployed forces.

According to Lockheed, it has also invested in dedicated manufacturing infrastructure and strengthened supply chain partnerships to support rapid production scaling. These investments are intended to accelerate delivery of the new hypersonic platform while ensuring it remains affordable and adaptable to evolving national security requirements.

Lockheed’s NXGB program has completed its Preliminary Design Review, confirming the design meets performance, producibility, and affordability requirements. The hypersonic glide body is scheduled for a flight demonstration in 2027 to validate its capabilities and support the company’s goal of delivering scalable, adaptable long-range strike systems.

Strike capability evolves

Lockheed is positioning its new Next Generation Glide Body (NXGB) as a lower-cost successor to earlier US hypersonic weapons, as the Pentagon shifts toward mass production of affordable long-range strike systems, reports Aviation Week.

The company’s previous hypersonic work dates to 2018, when the US Army and Navy selected the Common Hypersonic Glide Body (CHGB) for the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) and the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) programs. Lockheed served as the prime integrator, combining the glide body, produced by Dynetics, with a two-stage booster developed by Northrop Grumman.

The CHGB itself traces its origins to the Sandia Winged Re-entry Vehicle Experiment of the late 1970s. After remaining inactive for decades, the concept was revived by the Army for the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon demonstration in 2011, eventually forming the basis of today’s operational hypersonic programs, reports Aviation Week.

However, the existing LRHW and CPS design proved expensive and difficult to manufacture at scale, with annual production limited to around 24 missiles and an estimated unit cost of $35 million to $40 million.

Reflecting a shift in procurement priorities, the Army plans to end LRHW funding after fiscal 2027 and replace it with a significantly cheaper missile designed for large-scale production. Meanwhile, Lockheed faces increasing competition from emerging defense companies, including Castelion, which is developing a lower-cost hypersonic glide vehicle based on its Blackbeard missile.

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