Secret ‘Mako’ missile: Lockheed Martin’s hypersonic shark ready to hunt

Lockheed Martin has announced that its hypersonic multi-mission missile ‘Mako’ is ready for action.

Named after the fastest shark in the ocean, the missile has been in development for over seven years.

The company says it can support air attacks, maritime strikes, counter-air defenses, and other missions.

According to the company, Mako can be fitted on a variety of aircraft, including the F-35, F/A-18, F-16, F-15, and P-8, and internally on the F-22 and F-35C. Any aircraft with 30-inch lugs, including bombers, can carry it.

Hypersonic missile – Mako

According to Lockheed Martin, Mako is among the company’s first generation of missiles designed entirely in a digital engineering ecosystem.

Moreover, model-based systems engineering best practices and an integrated, model-based enterprise support the weapon’s life cycle.

“Due to its digital and open architecture design, Mako supports rapid integration of mission-specific elements like warheads and seekers, which empowers users to upgrade Mako with no proprietary entanglements,” according to a press release from the company.

The company had offered Mako for the U.S. Air Force’s Stand-in Attack Weapon (SiAW) program. While it chose not to continue into phase 2, the hypersonic missile benefited from the innovations and maturation efforts invested in it as the Air Force’s first fully digital acquisition missile.

Further, to lower risks and costs the hypersonic missile incorporates components from fielded systems and proven supply chains.

The missile has also been fit-checked on numerous aircraft used by the US military.

Can Lockheed’s missile end the US’ search for hypersonic weapons?

The hypersonic missile weighs 1,300 pounds and its airframe is 13 inches in diameter and 13 feet long. It can be deployed on 5 ^th -gen fighters for stand-in-strike and has the reach to launch at operationally significant ranges that keep aircraft at safe standoff distances.

While Lockheed Martin has not yet made public details about the speed, accuracy, and impact range, the company has stated that it is finding new ways to innovate with the product.

Transformational processes such as all-digital design and additive manufacturing are being used to reduce cost and the scheduled time of production.

In Mako, the engineers used additive manufacturing to produce the guidance section and fins. The additive guidance section meets all engineering requirements at 1/10th cost and it’s 10 times faster and cheaper than conventional subtractive methods.

Earlier this year, the US conducted a final test of the AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) prototype developed by Lockheed.

However, it has not shown any interest or shared any plans to procure the missile in the fiscal year 2025.

Therefore, Mako can serve as a good option for the US Air Force and other services. It can fulfill the country’s current need for hypersonic missiles.

Russia and China both have multiple hypersonic weapons at their disposal and the US is also looking to update its arsenal to maintain its dominance.