Lockheed Martin is working on two approaches to hypersonic flight, company “Skunk Works” chief Rob Weiss told reporters Tuesday. One is the HAWC, for Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept, which the Air Force is working on with DARPA. The other is a Tactical Boost-Glide vehicle similar to the old “Common Aerospace Vehicle” concept. Both will be ready for flight demonstrations in 2018, Weiss said at a company media event. Both vehicles would be accelerated to hypersonic speeds by separate boosters, but at that point the HAWC would engage a scramjet engine. The HAWC will explore both the engine and materials that would make it unnecessary to liquid-cool the vehicle, as well as efficient air vehicle configurations and manufacturing techniques, Weiss reported. A future Skunk Works concept, soon to be pitched to DARPA, would be air-breathing from takeoff, he also reported. Lockheed is partnered with Aerojet Rocketdyne on the engine, Weiss noted. He also noted that the DARPA hypersonic work is unrelated to the Air Force’s Long-Range Standoff Missile project.
Three Air Force MAJCOMs Get New Leaders
Nov. 6, 2025
With less pomp and public attention because of the government shutdown, three Air Force major commands have gained new leaders in the past week—continuing a major revamp of the service’s senior leadership.
