A Palladyne AI subsidiary is set to develop a new long-range missile that aims to strike the balance between affordability and near-hypersonic striking power.
The Air-Launched Rapid Response Missile (ALRRM) system, tasked to Kansas-based GuideTech, is envisioned to sustain cruise speeds beyond Mach 4, equivalent to about 4,939 kilometers or 3,069 miles per hour.
It is also expected to achieve an operational range of more than 350 nautical miles (648 kilometers/403 miles) while carrying a 150-pound (68-kilogram) warhead.
The missile will be powered by an air-breathing solid fuel ramjet engine and is intended to operate in high-altitude environments.
While exact unit pricing has not been disclosed, Palladyne AI President Ben Wolff said ALRMM will be the first system of its kind to combine high speed and extended range at a lower cost than conventional missile platforms.
He added that the system could help establish “a new strike class for fifth-generation fighters that is stealth-borne, near-hypersonic, and deep-theater strike.”
Low-Cost, High-Value Missile
ALRRM is positioned as a response to US Department of Defense priorities for more affordable weapon systems that do not compromise capabilities.
“The 2025 National Security Strategy explicitly states that the US must build ‘next-generation missiles with a clear and urgent need for cost-effective, high-performance strike capabilities’ for the US military,” Wolff said.
GuideTech will develop the missile under a US Navy contract, although specific details of the agreement remain under wraps.
