The US Department of Defense has moved to procure 3,000 low-cost containerized cruise missiles from Leidos as part of a broader effort to expand mass-produced strike capacity.
The agreement covers Leidos’ Low-Cost Containerized Munition (LCCM), a ground-launched cruise missile designed to scale US strike capability through modular design and commercial-style production methods.
Leidos said the system is being developed under a framework aligned with faster acquisition priorities and is internally funded during early development, building on its AGM-190A Small Cruise Missile program.
Compared to the AGM-190A, the LCCM is about twice its size and is designed for extended range through increased fuel capacity.
Production work will be centered at Leidos facilities in Huntsville, Alabama, and McEwen, Tennessee. The company expects full system development and testing to be completed before production begins in 2027, with potential future variants under consideration for maritime and air launch integration.
“We’re answering the Department of War’s call to revolutionize the procurement of critical capabilities at scale, with a focus on speed to operational capability,” Leidos CEO Tom Bell said.
US’ Arsenal of Freedom Initiative
The move is part of the “Arsenal of Freedom,” an initiative towards mass-producing low-cost, containerized, and rapidly deployable strike systems designed to expand munitions stockpiles and reduce reliance on traditional high-cost cruise missiles.
A key example came in May, when the Pentagon signed framework agreements with Leidos, Anduril Industries, CoAspire, and Zone 5 Technologies under the LCCM program. The initiative aims to scale procurement of more than 10,000 container-launched missiles over a three-year period starting in 2027.
Earlier, in October 2024, the US Air Force advanced a related approach through the Extended Range Attack Munition program, awarding contracts to CoAspire and Zone 5 Technologies to develop low-cost air-launched strike weapons, with early flight tests completed within months of contract award.
