The Joint Hypersonics Transition Office has awarded six industry contracts aimed at advancing next-generation hypersonic systems capable of flying at speeds greater than Mach 5.
In partnership with the Naval Surface Warfare Center, the office selected Leidos, GoHypersonic, Special Aerospace Services, Purdue Applied Research Institute, Halo Engines, and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions under the S²MARTS initiative.
The awards were issued via the Other Transaction Agreement framework, which allows the Department of Defense to move faster than traditional acquisition systems when engaging commercial firms and research institutions in high-priority innovation programs.
The initiative seeks to overcome core hypersonic engineering hurdles, including thermal protection at extreme velocities, sustained maneuverability, propulsion efficiency, and accurate long-range targeting. Participants will focus on developing critical subsystems spanning guidance integration, aerodynamics, propulsion architectures, mission optimization, and overall system effectiveness. Validation efforts will combine advanced modeling and simulation with experimental testing on the ground and in operational flight conditions.
The S²MARTS OTA aligns with the Pentagon’s broader modernization strategy. In 2019, Dynetics was awarded a $351.6 million OTA to prototype Common Hypersonic Glide Body systems. In 2025, Lockheed Martin secured a $26 million OTA to advance a Next Generation Command and Control capability, while Anduril Industries obtained a $99.6 million OTA for related defense technology development.
Together, these efforts highlight the Department of Defense’s reliance on OTA mechanisms to accelerate hypersonic research and fielding timelines.
