US Army seeks 8,000 new short-range missiles per year

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The Army is looking for a weapon that is similar to the existing Hellfire and Joint Air-to-Ground Missile, according to the Army’s Sources Sought notice. The deadline is Sept. 15.

The missile should be “capable of integrating with joint manned and unmanned air, ground and waterborne platforms using a M299 launcher or equivalent,” the Army said.

The specifications for the missile mirror that of the Hellfire, with a minimum range of 1,640 feet (500 meters) and a maximum range of 2,6246 feet (8,000 meters) or greater. Potential targets include “heavy/light armor track vehicles, command and control nodes, air defense artillery radars, Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS), [and] small fast attack maritime targets,” according to the notice.

The missile should be capable of operating amid jamming and GPS denial. Contractors “must provide technology and performance details on seeker sensors, warhead and propulsion solution.”

The Lockheed Martin M299 is designed to fire the company’s Hellfire and JAGM weapons. The launcher can be fitted to helicopters such as the Apache, Cobra and Seahawk, drones and even cargo containers.

Companies are expected to have their manufacturing and supplier base set up by late 2028. The initial delivery of up to 8,000 missiles is scheduled to be completed within two years after contract award. This would be followed by annual orders of up to 8,000 missiles per year.

Amid shortages of missiles and delays in producing munitions such as howitzer shells, the Army appears serious about manufacturers meeting this deadline. “Interested sources shall submit verifiable evidence demonstrating their capability to produce, test, and deliver the specified quantities within the mandated lead times,” the notice said. “Submissions must confirm the utilization of an active, qualified, and operational production line.”

The AGM-114 Hellfire is used by more than 30 nations. Originally designed in the 1970s as a helicopter-launched tank-buster, the current Hellfire II uses semi-active laser guidance. The JAGM — intended to replace the Hellfire, TOW and Maverick — uses laser and millimeter-wave homing. The JAGM achieved initial operating capability in 2022.

Lockheed Martin has produced more than 145,000 Hellfires and JAGMs. In August 2025, the company was awarded a $720 million contract for both missiles, with buyers including the U.S. Army and Navy, as well as Britain, Canada, Poland and other NATO nations.