Lockheed Martin Awarded $720 Million Contract to Produce Hellfire Missile

A U.S. Marine with Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 (VMX-1) arms a joint air-to-ground missile (JAGM) during an operational test at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, Dec. 6, 2021. VMX-1 fired and evaluated the JAGM to determine its suitability and effectiveness to support expeditionary advanced base operations, such as conducting strike and Close Air Support Missions. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Matthew Romonoyske-Bean)

The U.S. Army has awarded Lockheed Martin a $720.1 million contract modification for the fourth production year of HELLFIRE and Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) systems, expanding one of the service’s most widely used precision-strike programs.

According to a Department of Defense contract announcement, the modification (P00060 to contract W31P4Q-23-C-0005) brings the total cumulative value of the agreement to approximately $1.49 billion.

Work will be carried out at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Ocala, Florida, with completion expected by September 30, 2028. The Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.

The Army obligated $720,120,883 in Fiscal 2025 missile procurement funds at the time of award.

The contract supports production of both HELLFIRE and JAGM missiles for U.S. forces and allied customers under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. HELLFIRE currently has more than 30 international users, with Poland joining as a new customer under the previous production year’s contract.

Lockheed Martin says the contract’s structure provides “maximum flexibility” to meet growing demand from both domestic and foreign militaries. The JAGM program, in particular, is expected to see increased international interest in the coming years as armed forces seek versatile, precision-guided munitions for rotary-wing, fixed-wing, and unmanned platforms.

With more than 140,000 missiles produced, the HELLFIRE family remains a staple of precision engagement capabilities for the U.S. and its allies. The system is widely deployed across multiple platforms, including Apache and Seahawk helicopters, as well as various unmanned aerial vehicles.

JAGM builds on the HELLFIRE legacy with enhanced guidance and targeting technology, enabling engagement of both stationary and moving targets in adverse conditions. The system uses a multi-mode seeker combining semi-active laser and millimeter-wave radar to increase operational flexibility and survivability.

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