The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a multiple-year production contract for Joint-Air-to-Ground Missiles (JAGM) and HELLFIRE missiles with a Program Year 1 (PY1) award total value of $439 million. This contract will provide JAGM and HELLFIRE procurement and production support for the U.S. Army and international customers. Because it’s a multiple-year award, the contract offers three additional follow-on awards starting in late 2023, allowing for a total contract value of up to $4.5 billion over the next four years. The contract provides maximum flexibility to facilitate the procurement of both systems to multiple domestic and international customers, allowing for the future expansion of both HELLFIRE and JAGM’s global footprint.
“Not only does this contract award support sustained production, but this is the first joint production contact award from the U.S. government for JAGM and HELLFIRE. This contract award, along with last year’s JAGM full-rate production decision, shows the Army’s confidence in our product’s combat effectiveness and defensive capabilities, including its potential for longevity due to the support for increased production. Both JAGM and HELLFIRE’s advanced defensive capabilities provide users with a critical solution that allows them to stay ahead of ready with a competitive edge against potential adversaries,” says Joey Drake, program management director of Air-to-Ground Missile Systems at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.
The Joint-Air-to-Ground Missiles (JAGM) program anticipates a significant increase in international demand for the weapon system. HELLFIRE (Heliborne laser, fire-and-forget) currently has more than 30 FMS customers, along with being integrated onto more than 15 platforms. Both the JAGM and HELLFIRE systems are designed and developed in Orlando, Fla. The weapon systems are manufactured across various Lockheed Martin facilities in Dallas; Orlando and Ocala, Fla.; Archbald, Pa.; and Troy, Alab. With more than 125,000 missiles produced, JAGM and HELLFIRE continue to be the weapon of choice in critical, precision engagement opportunities.
The AGM-114 Hellfire is an air-to-ground missile (AGM) first developed for anti-armor use, later developed for precision drone strikes against other target types, especially high-value targets. The Hellfire missile is the primary 100-pound (45 kg) class air-to-ground precision weapon for the armed forces of the United States and many other nations. It has also been fielded on surface platforms in the surface-to-surface and surface-to-air roles. The AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) is an American military program to develop an air-to-surface missile to replace the current air-launched BGM-71 TOW, AGM-114 Hellfire, and AGM-65 Maverick missiles. The U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps plan to buy thousands of JAGMs. On 16 November 2022, Lockheed Martin flight tested the JAGM-Medium Range, or JAGM-MR, which traveled 16 km.
