🚀 The US defence giant #LockheedMartin has said it is prepared to choose the UK as the location to develop a jet-fired hypersonic missile before making it in America. The company pointed to the Mako, a prototype, manoeuvrable missile named after the fastest shark in the seas, as an example of the type of versatile weapon it is willing to pioneer with the #UK. It is capable of reaching speeds exceeding Mach 5 and was designed to be fired from fighters such as the F-35 stealth jet, used by the #RoyalNavy, on missions such as air-to-sea strikes, anti-air defence strikes and other air-to-ground strikes. Developing this type of advanced weapon outside the US, which helped to fund the initial work on Mako, would be a departure from the norm for Lockheed. But Tim Cahill, president for missiles and fire control at Lockheed, said such technology-sharing was now possible under the Aukus agreement – between the UK, US and Australia – and would help each nation pick priorities for defence spending at a time of constrained budgets. Speaking to The Telegraph at the Farnborough International Airshow, he said: “I think Mako is a great example, because it’s a multi mission missile that we could use a hypersonic version of that’s got good range and good speed and good compatibility with a number of platforms. “These are places where the UK could clearly contribute and become the master.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/e8YmJ85w
Shawn Basco PhD
3mo
Brilliant LM!!!!!
Principal Mechanical Engineer
3moWould be cool, but it's posturing to trying to recoup costs on the SiAW contract loss. (Every prime contractor does this)