The United Kingdom has announced that 90 large and small industry and academic organizations are eligible to bid for contracts to support the development of the country’s hypersonic missile capabilities.
The suppliers, which were included in the Hypersonic Technologies and Capability Development Framework agreement, can compete eight lots with a $1.26 billion maximum value over seven years. The government announced the framework in late 2023, besides boosting collaboration with Australia and the United States under the AUKUS alliance.
A Breaking Defense report identified design and integration among the HTCDF lots for bidding, along with modeling and testing, airframe and power generation, a lethality package, onboard computing, and low technical readiness level concepts.
Minister of State for Defence Procurement James Cartlidge views hypersonics as a landmark capability that is essential to keep pace with adversaries. “The framework sends a clear demand signal to the U.K. industry of our intention to develop hypersonics, which is critical for the nearly 50 percent of the suppliers which will be small and medium enterprises,” Cartlidge said.
According to Defence Equipment and Support, the United Kingdom’s defense procurement agency, most of the selected SME suppliers are U.K.-based. Established weapons manufacturers and academic institutions are also included in the HTCDF.
With the framework’s diverse supply base, the Ministry of Defence can tap defense innovation and talent across the United Kingdom and overseas, DE&S said.
