freeeric
The Pentagon has awarded a contract worth as much as $334 million to develop a new multi-purpose hypersonic air vehicle under a secretive program known as “Mayhem.”
The experimental Mayhem program is thought to be creating some kind of hypersonic aircraft capable of strikes as well as spying, also known as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), The War Zone reported.
The first details on Mayhem emerged in 2020, according to The War Zone. Now, Virginia defense contractor Leidos has been awarded an “indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract” for research and development of Mayhem, expected to be completed by Oct. 15, 2028.
In its announcement, the Pentagon describes the goal as “a larger class air-breathing hypersonic system capable of executing multiple missions with a standardized payload interface, providing a significant technological advancement and future capability.”
Leidos’ work is to be done at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, with other potential testing sites to be determined, according to the announcement.
