US-based engineering consultants Amentum is to design and manage the UK’s program to develop hypersonic missiles.
The 15-month contract was awarded by Team Hypersonics UK, part of the Ministry of Defence and will see an Amentum team produce the engineering design requirements for a hypersonic weapon system demonstrator and examine the options for flight testing.
The Industry Mission Partner (IMP) contract also covers the delivery of project lifecycle solutions, including systems engineering, mission planning, sensor platform integration, test design, planning and execution, safety systems, and cost analysis. It includes an extension option for up to three-years.
Loren Jones, senior vice president and head of Amentum’s energy and environment-international business said, “We will bring extensive global defence expertise and deep understanding of hypersonic technologies to this vitally important program.
“Amentum’s technology partners and our own expertise will drive innovation and collaboration across the supply chain, a critical component of the UK’s national security strategy.”
The awarding of the contract took just 31 days after the invitation to tender. The UK Government has pledged to speed up lengthy defense procurement processes.
Rupert Pearce, the MOD’s national armaments director said, “The IMP model breaks down traditional organisational boundaries and creates the collaborative environment we need to deliver this critical sovereign capability. We are not only advancing our hypersonic ambitions but also strengthening our defence industrial base and supporting jobs across the UK.”
Subcontractors Ebeni Ltd and Synthetik Applied Technologies UK Ltd will collaborate with Amentum on this project.
