`For the US Navy, this is a multi-mission system with high capacity, high survivability, and affordable price,` said Rick Loy, Senior Program Manager in the Missile and Fire Control division of the US Navy.
Lockheed Martin representative said this is the first time the Mako missile has been publicly displayed since development began 7 years ago.
Mako hypersonic missile displayed at the Sea Air Space 2024 exhibition. Photo: Naval News
Lockheed Martin said the Mako missile can be integrated with F-35, F-22, F-15, F-16, F/A-18, and several other aircraft.
A model of the Mako missile was displayed at CoAspire’s booth at the exhibition, accompanied by a graphic video of an F-35 aircraft carrying this projectile.
Currently, no hypersonic weapon under development in the US can fit into the weapons bay of an F-35 fighter like the Mako series.
Lockheed Martin and CoAspire have not disclosed much technical information about the Mako missile, except that it is equipped with many different guidance systems and has a minimum speed of Mach 5 (6,147 km/h).
F-35 fighter carrying Mako missiles.
The United States is facing difficulties in its hypersonic weapons development program, despite possessing the world’s leading defense capacity.
On March 17, the US Air Force continued its final test launch of the AGM-183A missile in the Pacific, but did not say whether it was successful or not.
The move is said to be intended to put effort into another hypersonic weapon development program called the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM).
Meanwhile, Russia has repeatedly deployed hypersonic missiles during the conflict in Ukraine, including the Kinzhal and Zircon series, causing many difficulties for enemy air defenses.