– Lockheed Martin has successfully completed the first of a series of flight tests for its Next-Generation Short-Range Interceptor (NGSRI)—a potential replacement for the U.S. Army’s Stinger missile. The milestone highlights the company’s ability to rapidly deliver advanced defense capabilities that address evolving battlefield threats.
Flight Test Milestone
The flight test took place at the U.S. Army’s White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The successful event validated interceptor performance and matured key missile subsystems, marking an important step forward in the development of this advanced short-range air defense solution.
Why It Matters
NGSRI is designed as a 21st Century Security® solution focused on soldier safety, performance, and adaptability. Key benefits include:
- Modern open systems architecture and modular design that enable continuous upgrades
- High effectiveness against unmanned aerial systems, as well as rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft
- In many scenarios, more than double the capability of the legacy Stinger system
- Rapid development, moving from concept to flight in 26 months since the 2023 contract award
- Integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance performance and decision-making
- Built on Lockheed Martin’s extensive experience in air and missile defense, NGSRI is engineered to be highly capable, manufacturable, and affordable to meet current and future Army needs.
Expert Perspective
“Our team’s shared mission, innovative approach, and agility were essential to achieving this milestone,” said Randy Crites, vice president, Lockheed Martin Advanced Programs. “We are driving the future of integrated air and missile defense to safeguard warfighters and allies from evolving threats.”
Chris Murphy, business development lead, added,
“Completing our controlled flight test series in less than six months demonstrates the speed and agility the Lockheed Martin team brings to delivering critical capabilities on an accelerated timeline.”
Source: Lockheed Martin