Lockheed Martin accomplished the primary flight check of its Subsequent-Technology Brief-Vary Interceptor (NGSRI) design as a part of the competitors for the FIM-92 missile’s substitute.
Lockheed Martin has introduced on Jan. 13, 2026, the primary check fireplace of its design for the U.S. Military’s Subsequent-Technology Brief-Vary Interceptor (NGSRI) competitors. This system was launched with the aim of changing the FIM-92 Stinger Man-Moveable Air-Protection System (MANPADS), which has been in service since 1981.
Lockheed Martin is certainly one of two main contenders within the aggressive substitute program. In actual fact, each Lockheed Martin and Raytheon acquired in September 2023 a contract to develop a design for the brand new interceptor.
First Take a look at
The press launch didn’t point out when the primary flight check happened, nonetheless earlier statements talked about that testing was deliberate to start out in 2025. The newest press launch talked about that the corporate “has taken the missile from idea to flight in simply 26 months because the preliminary contract award in 2023,” that means that the check might need taken place anytime between December 2025 and January 2026, relying on when the work began.
“The profitable completion of this primary flight check is a testomony to our workforce’s agility and drive to ship essential capabilities on an accelerated timeline. We accomplished our managed flight check sequence in lower than six months, demonstrating the velocity and agility the Lockheed Martin workforce brings to this thrilling competitors,” mentioned Chris Murphy, enterprise improvement lead, Lockheed Martin Superior Applications.
The check, described as the primary of a sequence, happened on the U.S. Military White Sands Missile Vary in New Mexico. The picture included within the press launch exhibits the missile being fired from a launch tube put in on a scaffold, surrounded by cameras and sensors for knowledge assortment.
In accordance with the corporate, the flight validated core interceptor subsystems and represented a big maturation of the design in a comparatively quick timeframe. The design is claimed to leverage Lockheed Martin’s intensive expertise in air and missile protection and in addition consists of synthetic intelligence and machine studying options.
“Our workforce’s shared mission, revolutionary strategy and agility have been important to attaining this milestone,” mentioned Randy Crites, vp, Lockheed Martin Superior Applications.
Quadstar
The design seems to be referred to as Quadstar, as talked about by Murphy in an interview to The Conflict Zone final yr. The QuadStar missile attracts closely on the corporate’s previous work in miniature interceptors, together with the Miniature Hit-to-Kill (MHTK) program, to create an aerodynamically environment friendly, extremely maneuverable interceptor with enhanced seeker and steering efficiency.
In accordance with the interview, the event centered on the mixing of superior seeker know-how into a light-weight bundle. The aim was to deal with conventional rotary- and fixed-wing plane threats, in addition to new small, low-signature aerial threats akin to Group 2 and three unmanned aerial techniques (UAS).
Within the newest press launch, the corporate mentioned the NGSRI design meets all soldier security and efficiency wants. The corporate additionally reiterates that the weapon is designed to be extremely efficient towards unmanned aerial techniques, rotary- and fixed-wing plane, whereas claiming that “NGSRI greater than doubles the potential of the legacy system.”
Moreover, Lockheed Martin has developed a brand new Command Launch Meeting (CLA) to accompany the weapon. This CLA integrates trendy optics and digital fire-control techniques, leveraging synthetic intelligence and machine studying to allow faster goal discrimination and engagement whereas decreasing the operator’s workload.
Subsequent-Technology Brief-Vary Interceptor
The U.S. Military launched in recent times a modernization push for a FIM-92 Stinger successor, which stems from evolving menace units and the restrictions of legacy techniques. The Stinger entered service in 1981, serving for over 40 years in lots of conflicts around the globe.
The weapon makes use of infrared homing with a blast-fragmentation warhead, and has confirmed efficient towards many targets all through the years. Nonetheless, the age of its know-how and manufacturing has now began to point out its results, highlighting the necessity for a brand new interceptor.
In September 2023 the Military awarded contracts to each Lockheed Martin and Raytheon (a part of RTX) to develop competing designs for the Subsequent-Technology Brief-Vary Interceptor (NGSRI). The 2 prototypes are being developed below a aggressive fast prototyping and demonstration framework, with the service planning a number of analysis phases earlier than a variety.
In accordance with Protection Information, the Military anticipates a five-year improvement and analysis cycle for the NGSRI program, earlier than the low-rate manufacturing. The primary two years will likely be devoted to design, earlier than a “fly-off” competitors.
If each opponents move the fly-off, they are going to be requested to enhance the weapon through the subsequent part, earlier than one other fly-off. The service plans to pick out just one design for the manufacturing and begin fielding it by 2028.
The Competitor
Equally to Lockheed Martin, Raytheon can also be making progress with its NGSRI design, developed in partnership with Northrop Grumman.
In early 2025, Raytheon introduced the completion of ten profitable NGSRI subsystem checks designed to confirm essential parts such because the interceptor’s superior seeker, command launch meeting (CLA), rocket motor, steering techniques, warhead performance, aerodynamic management, fuzing, and security subsystems. These demonstrations precede flight testing, permitting to confirm the efficiency and engineering maturity.
Raytheon claims the NGSRI seeker meeting demonstrated acquisition ranges exceeding these of legacy Stinger techniques, each in laboratory and outside circumstances. The rocket motor has been developed collectively with Northrop Grumman utilizing Extremely Loaded Grain (HLG) strong propellant know-how, promising better interception vary and maneuverability.
