U.S. Response to Russia's Hypersonic Weapons is Counting on These American Companies

The Street ^ | 03/22/2022 | Ellen Chang

[SeekAndFind]

First use of high-speed missiles by Russia in Ukraine sparks renewed urgency for U.S. development.

With the first claimed use of a hypersonic weapon by Russia in the invasion of Ukraine, attention is again focusing on defense contractors in the U.S. that are trying to develop their own.

Among U.S. defense contractors notable for their efforts are Lockheed Martin (LMT) , Northrop Grumman (NOC) and Raytheon (RTX). The three were picked by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency last November to develop an "accelerated concept design of the Glide Phase Interceptor," to stop incoming vehicles.

Lockheed Martin and Raytheon are also working on so-called scramjet hypersonic power systems, while Northrup Grumman is developing motors.

Just prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Real Money Columnist Stephen "Sarge" Guilfoyle discussed Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman as two key defense stock plays in connection with hypersonic weapons systems. Such missiles can travel at speeds of up to ten times the speed of sound.

"Both China and Russia are ahead of the U.S. on this relatively new, and quite indefensible method of warhead delivery," Guilfoyle wrote. "When it comes to hypersonic delivery, the U.S. is quite possibly the 'near-peer.'"

Lockheed and Northrup are “almost always present in varying size among my portfolio holdings,” Guilfoyle wrote. He noted that both were on a JPMorgan Chase list of potential outperformers if the situation between Russia and Ukraine worsened.

Lockheed Martin is well-known for its very expensive F-35 fighter aircraft and operates four business segments: aeronautics, missiles and fire control, rotary and mission, and space.

“The recent focus, with mixed success, has been on the development of both offensive and defensive hypersonic weapons,” Guilfoyle wrote.

[Eleutheria5]

What? They’re developing a hypersonic missile? What’s the deep state doing to obstruct it?

[ConservativeInPA]

We don’t need any of that “Star Wars” stuff if I recall correctly from the 80’s.

[OldWarBaby]

I still have a newspaper article on the wall, here at the shop, about how Reagan was proposing the star wars stuff and how it broke the Russians trying to keep up. That was related to space-based stuff but, same deal, Ivan went broke trying to keep up. Now we’re supposed to believe he did it with a missile all by himself? I want to see the radar track?

[ridesthemiles]

LAST NOVEMBER?????

3 MONTHS OR SO AGO???

What do they think this is about? Vaccines???

[Chode]

i still call 0bama

[Salman]

Fighting to keep the world profitable for Raytheon et al.

[MarMema]

Exactly what I remember as we!!.

[sauropod]

Bkmk