Modernizing the Battlefield
The United States is once again facing a great power competition.
Our near-peer adversaries have been rapidly enhancing their offensive capabilities with new technologies.
To combat these new and varied threats, the U.S. has mobilized to quickly test and deploy novel solutions to modernize the battlefield. Dynetics and Leidos are key players in weapons modernization priorities, including directed energy, hypersonics and indirect fires protection.
Directed energy
Directed energy weapons offer a significant defensive capability against the high-volume, low-cost threats facing today's warfighter. These weapons reach targets faster than conventional kinetic weapon systems, offer broad range with a deep magazine and cost less per shot while limiting collateral damage.
"Directed energy weapons are an important tool in the fight against drones and other threats," said Ronnie Chronister, Dynetics senior vice president of Weapons Technology and Manufacturing. "We are committed to getting these capabilities in the hands of soldiers quickly and effectively."
Dynetics is building the Indirect Fire Protection Capability-High Energy Laser ("IFPC-HEL"), a 300 kilowatt-class laser designed to protect fixed and semi-fixed sites from hostile unmanned aircraft systems (UAS); rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft; and rockets, artillery and mortars (RAM).
This directed energy solution is expected to be demonstrated in 2022 and prepared for residual combat capability by 2024.
Additionally, Leidos was recently awarded an Air Force Research Laboratory contract for Mjolnir, a next generation counter electronics weapon system, to defend against adversarial drone activity.
"Standard kinetic weapons are not efficient against the small Class 1 and 2 drones," said the Leidos Directed Energy Business Manager Billy Schaefer. "Directed energy technology is mature enough to provide an innovative and effective solution for this rapidly emerging threat."
Building upon the success of the Tactical High-Power Operational Responder (THOR) technology demonstrator, Leidos is building an advanced high power microwave (HPM) weapon system to bring the newest technology to bear against the growing threat from unmanned aircraft systems.
Hypersonics
Hypersonics is one of the highest priority modernization areas the Department of Defense (DoD) is pursuing to support continued battlefield dominance. Hypersonic weapons are a pivotal capability in achieving the Army's modernization goals of speed, range, convergence, decision, dominance and overmatch.
"The hypersonic threat is already here. Our adversaries have the technology, and we need to show that we, too, have these capabilities," Chronister said. "Dynetics has already provided critical hardware to this modernization goal, and we are continuing to innovate to support our country's dominance on the field of battle."
Our hypersonic work is threefold. First, Dynetics is producing Common-Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) prototypes, working to rapidly transfer the glide body technology from a laboratory concept to a fieldable production item for the U.S. Army.
Second, as part of the Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) program, Dynetics has developed launchers with hydraulics, outriggers, power generation and distribution for the ground platform. Our team delivered four launchers for the LRHW battery prototype in mid-2021, and the Army delivered the ground support equipment for the prototype battery in September 2021. The LRHW is expected to be fielded to soldiers by 2023.
Lastly, Dynetics is also developing Hypersonic Thermal Protection System (TPS) prototypes in conjunction with industry partners. The TPS shields the LRHW and the Navy Conventional Prompt Strike systems from extreme environments seen during hypersonic flight. This capability was bolstered after the company acquired Spire Technologies and Davis Manufacturing, two companies with long histories in TPS production.
IFPC Enduring
The Enduring Indirect Fires Protection Capability (IFPC) program, managed by the U.S. Army Program Executive Office Missiles and Space (PEO MS), is a ground-based, mobile system that aims to combat cruise missiles and unmanned aircraft systems. This program builds upon the Army's investment in maturing IFPC and its commitment to its air and missile defense modernization efforts.
Dynetics Enduring Shield system was selected in September 2021 to fulfill the IFPC Increment 2 program needs.
Dynetics expects to deliver 16 units by the end of 2023.
"There is a high demand for this important system because it helps fill a significant capability gap for Force Protection," said Elizabeth Robertson, Dynetics manager on the IFPC program.
The battlefield will continue to evolve, from mobile weapons on the ground to missiles in the sky. Using innovative ideas and advanced technology, Dynetics and Leidos are working together to modernize the battlefield in the current landscape and the next frontier.
About Dynetics
Dynetics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Leidos, provides responsive, cost-effective engineering, scientific, IT solutions to national security, cybersecurity, space and critical infrastructure sectors. Our portfolio features highly specialized technical services and a range of software and hardware products, including components, subsystems and complex end-to-end systems. The company of more than 3,000 employees is based in Huntsville, Alabama, and has offices throughout the U.S.
About Leidos
Leidos is a Fortune 500® technology, engineering, and science solutions and services leader working to solve the world's toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, civil, and health markets. The company's 43,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $13.7 billion for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021. For more information, visit www.leidos.com.
Certain statements in this announcement constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These statements are based on management's current beliefs and expectations and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. These statements are not guarantees of future results or occurrences. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the "Risk Factors" set forth in Leidos' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Leidos does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of circumstances or events that arise after the date the forward-looking statements were made.
