Pentagon expands missile arsenal with 10,000 cruise and 500 hypersonic weapons
Anduril and Leidos are among the companies selected to help produce thousands of new low-cost cruise missiles.
By
Aamir Khollam
Military
May 13, 2026 02:15 PM EST
The Pentagon is betting heavily on cheap, mass-produced strike weapons as it prepares for future high-intensity conflicts, unveiling a sweeping plan to buy thousands of cruise missiles from a mix of traditional defense firms and newer military tech companies.
Under a newly launched initiative called the Low Cost Containerization Munitions Program, the Defense Department signed framework agreements with Anduril Industries, Leidos, CoAspire, and Zone 5 Technologies. The effort could lead to the procurement of more than 10,000 low-cost cruise missiles starting in 2027.
The Defense Department plans to begin evaluating early missile systems from the companies next month before larger production orders begin later this decade.
Shift toward cheaper weapons
https://interestingengineering.com/military/pentagon-10000-cruise-hypersonic-missile-expansion
