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Large-Scale Production Framework for Low-Cost Surface-Launched Cruise Missiles
Anduril Industries and the U.S. Department of War have established a procurement agreement to rapidly scale the production of containerized long-range precision fires.
www.anduril.com
The U.S. Department of War (DoW) announced a framework agreement with Anduril Industries for the delivery of the Surface-Launched Barracuda-500M (SLB-500M). This cooperation addresses the industrial challenge of producing affordable, high-volume cruise missiles to supplement existing long-range precision strike inventories.
Procurement Framework and Scale
The agreement, managed through the Office of the Undersecretary of War for Research and Engineering (OSW(R&E)), establishes a production pipeline for a minimum of 3,000 SLB-500M units over three years. Managed by the Army’s Program Acquisition Executive FIRES (PAE FIRES), the program targets an initial production rate of 1,000 all-up rounds per year, with deliveries commencing in the first half of 2027.
This framework shifts procurement from traditional low-volume acquisition to a model focused on industrial automation and mass-producibility. It integrates non-traditional industrial base capabilities to meet evolving digital infrastructure and defense requirements.
Technical Specifications and System Integration
The SLB-500M is a cruise missile designed for coordinated strikes against land and maritime targets. Key technical parameters include:
- Range: 500+ nautical miles.
- Payload: 100-pound munition capacity.
- Launch Architecture: Standard 20-foot ISO container housing up to 16 rounds.
- Control Systems: Integration with mission autonomy software for collaborative behavior in contested environments.
The system utilizes an open-architecture design where 70% of the hardware consists of commodity components. This allows the missile to be assembled in approximately 30 hours using standard tools, reducing reliance on specialized labor and proprietary supply chains.
Industrial Implementation
To support this deployment, the partners are expanding the solid rocket motor (SRM) industrial base. Anduril has utilized a combination of private capital and Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III funding to establish a full-rate SRM production facility in Mississippi. This ensures a domestic supply of boosters independent of existing constrained providers.
Production is currently localized in a 115,000-square-foot facility in Southern California, with plans to transition high-volume manufacturing to a larger 5-million-square-foot facility in Columbus, Ohio.
Operational Use Cases
The SLB-500M is designed for rapid emplacement and high-volume fielding without requiring specialized launch infrastructure. By utilizing containerized systems, the missiles can be transported via standard logistics networks. Operators use fire control software to select munition combinations based on specific target sets, enabling scalable stand-off strike capabilities. This modularity supports process stability in munitions replenishment and provides a cost-effective solution for maintaining long-range deterrents.
Edited by Evgeny Churilov, Induportals Media - Adapted by AI.
www.anduril.com
Industrial Implementation
To support this deployment, the partners are expanding the solid rocket motor (SRM) industrial base. Anduril has utilized a combination of private capital and Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III funding to establish a full-rate SRM production facility in Mississippi. This ensures a domestic supply of boosters independent of existing constrained providers.
Production is currently localized in a 115,000-square-foot facility in Southern California, with plans to transition high-volume manufacturing to a larger 5-million-square-foot facility in Columbus, Ohio.
Operational Use Cases
The SLB-500M is designed for rapid emplacement and high-volume fielding without requiring specialized launch infrastructure. By utilizing containerized systems, the missiles can be transported via standard logistics networks. Operators use fire control software to select munition combinations based on specific target sets, enabling scalable stand-off strike capabilities. This modularity supports process stability in munitions replenishment and provides a cost-effective solution for maintaining long-range deterrents.
Edited by Evgeny Churilov, Induportals Media - Adapted by AI.
www.anduril.com
