Hady Mourad: Lockheed Eyes ‘Gray Wolf’ Cruise Missile Against Hostile Air Defense Systems

Hady Mourad, advanced missiles program director at Lockheed Martin‘s missiles and fire control business, has said the company’s concept for the U.S. Air Force’s Gray Wolf program involves a cruise missile designed to counter hostile integrated air defense systems in “highly contested environments.”

“Using the capabilities envisioned for later spirals, our system is being designed to maximize modularity, allowing our customer to incorporate advanced technologies such as more lethal warheads or more fuel-efficient engines, when those systems become available,” Mourad said in a statement published Wednesday.

Lockheed secured a potential five-year, $110 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory this month to design, build and test Gray Wolf cruise missile prototypes.

Mourad said the company will leverage its experience in the development of Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles and other cruise missiles to support ARFL.

The Gray Wolf program has four development phases and Lockheed expects the initial phase to run through late 2019.

The company said it expects to conduct preliminary demonstrations of the cruise missile aboard an F-16 jet with plans to integrate the system with F-35, F-18, F-15, B-52, B-1 and B-2 planes.