This week, Lockheed Martin, alongside CoAspire, unveiled a new hypersonic missile named Mako at the Sea Air Space 2024 event. The new system, presented by the U.S. Navy, has been characterized by its speed, affordability, and versatility in targeting numerous threats.
Representatives from Lockheed Martin emphasized that this is the first time the hypersonic has been publicly showcased since the beginning of its development over seven years ago. The Mako was originally proposed by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Air Force’s Stand-In Attack Weapon (SiAW) program, aimed at providing aircraft with the capability to strike against adversary assets forming an anti-access/area denial network.
Although Lockheed Martin received several contracts over the years for the SiAW programs, such as a $18 million one last February, Northrop Grumman ultimately won the program with a $705 million contract last year. It is noteworthy that Northrop Grumman’s bid is apparently based on its work with the Navy’s Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile – Extended Range (AARGM-ER) program. With this foundation, SiAW is expected to reach at least 300-350 kilometers.
Regarding the features of the Mako, limited information indicates that it would achieve at least Mach 5, and the conceptual missile shown at SAS 2024 was the same one used for fit checks on aircraft. The remaining steps involve electronic fit checks first and then testing the model on various fighter jets and maritime patrol aircraft.
So far, it is known that the Mako has been installed on F-35, F-22, F-16, F-15, F-18, and a Navy P-8. It was also confirmed that the system could be internally mounted on an F-35, with one per bay, and on aircraft embarked on aircraft carriers. “There’s nothing preventing the launch of this weapon from surface, land, or even subsurface like other weapons,” noted Rick Loy, Director of Programs at the Missiles and Fire Control division of the company, hinting at the possibility of future Mako launch platforms extending beyond aircraft.
Finally, when asked about Mako’s future direction, Loy emphasized that its presentation at SAS 2024 aims to spark interest and continue its development. However, Mako is “ready to fly, ready now, and ready to scale and enter production quickly.”
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