Pentagon launches race for cheap 600-mile strike weapon with rapid testing plan

Aerial view of a military building, The Pentagon, Washington DC, USA.Getty Images The Pentagon has just launched an effort to build a new generation of low-cost, long-range strike weapons, which can be produced rapidly and deployed in large numbers for future conflicts. Called the Ground-Based Affordable Mass (G-BAM) Challenge, the initiative is run by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). For the program, the DIU turned to defense and technology companies from the US and allied nations to rapidly develop low-cost precision-strike systems. Under the agency’s requirements, the weapons must have a range exceeding 600 nautical miles (690 miles). On top of that, each weapon shouldn’t cost more than USD 250,000 when produced at scale. Moreover, the government demanded flight demonstrations within 60 to 90 days, with production-ready systems to follow within 12 to 18 months. “Future conflicts will require the Joint Force to generate affordable long-range effects at a scale, cost, and pace that current inventories alone cannot support,” the DIU said. To participate in the program, interested companies must first submit either a 15-slide pitch deck or a five-page white paper describing their proposed system. The ones selected will be invited to a government flight demonstration scheduled for early November. There, they will be asked to present their technology and show their representative prototypes. As per the DIU, each Phase 2 participant will receive a USD 250,000 cash prize. The strongest performers could also secure up to USD five million to instantly deliver operational test quantities to military units. Apart from the effort, the US government also allocated up to USD 250 million to support follow-on prototype projects, production contracts, as well as transition activities. DIU said that existing long-range weapons are expensive and available in limited numbers. “Through Ground-Based Affordable Mass (G-BAM), the Department of War (DOW) is seeking mature, affordable, long-range precision strike systems that can be demonstrated within 60-90 days, certified, and scaled into production within 12-18 months,” it continued. From concept to field To qualify for the program, the systems must also be ground-launched and carry at least a 35-lb (16 kilogram) payload. The DIU will prioritize designs capable of transporting more than 100 pounds (45 kilograms). The government has not specified whether acceptable solutions must be missiles, drones, or another type of autonomous system. It did however require production rates of over 100 units per month. The strike systems should also remain below a USD 500,000 cost-per-effect, with an ultimate flyaway cost of less than USD 250,000 per weapon. The weapons should additionally be capable of operating in environments where communications are degraded or GPS signals are unavailable. Desired features include automatic target recognition, autonomous terminal guidance, alternative navigation methods for GPS-denied environments, and the ability to be retasked after launch. According to the DIU, the weapons should also integrate with existing US military command-and-control networks, avoid proprietary launch infrastructure, and require minimal additional logistics or operator training.The effort is open to both US and international firms, although the government is only seeking complete weapon systems rather than individual technologies. “The Government is only interested in full systems,” the DIU concluded. “Solutions with demonstrated operational performance are of particular interest, but prior combat use is not required for consideration.”Recommended ArticlesGet the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.Based in Skopje, North Macedonia. Her work has appeared in Daily Mail, Mirror, Daily Star, Yahoo, NationalWorld, Newsweek, Press Gazette and others. She covers stories on batteries, wind energy, sustainable shipping and new discoveries. When she's not chasing the next big science story, she's traveling, exploring new cultures, or enjoying good food with even better wine.