Leidos, an American defense technology company, has selected General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) to manufacture components for the U.S. Army and Navy’s shared hypersonic weapons program, extending its role from prototype development to production. Under a multiyear subcontract, the company will supply precision-machined metal parts and cable assemblies for the Common Hypersonic Glide Body (CHGB) through 2031.The work supports two long-range strike programs: the Army’s Dark Eagle and the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS). Both use the same glide body, allowing the services to share a major weapon component while adapting the broader missile systems to their respective land- and sea-based launch platforms.The selection follows a $2.7 billion contract the Army awarded to Leidos in May 2026. That agreement brought the CHGB and Thermal Protection System programs together under a single effort intended to move the technology from prototyping toward production and improve the supply of components.One glide body, two hypersonic weaponsThe Common Hypersonic Glide Body is the maneuvering payload section of the Army-Navy hypersonic weapon. It is carried to high speed and altitude by a rocket booster before separating and gliding through the atmosphere toward its target.Hypersonic flight generally refers to speeds above Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound. Unlike a conventional ballistic missile warhead that follows a largely predictable trajectory after its boost phase, a hypersonic glide vehicle is designed to maneuver during flight. This can make its path harder to predict and complicate interception.The Army’s Dark Eagle, formerly known as the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon, uses a ground-launched system. The Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike program is developing a sea-based version intended for deployment aboard submarines and surface ships. Both use the shared glide body, while their launch and booster arrangements differ.The common design is intended to reduce duplicated development work and allow the services to benefit from shared testing and production. The Congressional Research Service describes the glide body as a central component of both programs, along with their shared missile-booster architecture.Precision parts, cables for flight controlGA-EMS will manufacture precision-machined metal components, substructures, and cable assemblies for the glide body. The company specifically identifies cable assemblies for the Elevon Control Module, which is associated with the vehicle’s aerodynamic control surfaces.Elevons combine the functions of elevators and ailerons, helping an aircraft-like vehicle control its pitch and roll. Their movement allows the glide body to adjust its orientation and maneuver during atmospheric flight.The electrical connections supporting these controls are just as important as the mechanical components. Cable assemblies carry signals and power between different subsystems, while precision-machined parts provide the physical structures needed to mount and integrate hardware. Both must meet tight manufacturing and inspection requirements in a system expected to operate under demanding flight conditions.The company said it will use specialized machining equipment, experienced manufacturing personnel, and inspection processes to maintain precision and repeatability. The company previously produced prototype glide-body subassemblies and supplied hardware and cables for a successful CHGB flight test in 2020.Boosting hypersonic weapon productionThe new subcontract reflects a broader effort to turn the Army and Navy’s hypersonic research and testing into a repeatable production program. In May 2026, Leidos said its $2.7 billion Army contract combined the glide body and thermal protection work to streamline development and accelerate deliveries.Thermal protection is a particularly important engineering challenge for hypersonic vehicles. Traveling through the atmosphere at several times the speed of sound generates intense aerodynamic heating, placing demanding requirements on the vehicle’s outer materials and protective structures. The separate Thermal Protection System effort addresses this challenge.The Army and Navy have also conducted joint flight testing of the weapon system. In December 2024, the Department of Defense announced a successful end-to-end test of the conventional hypersonic missile, building on earlier tests of the Common Hypersonic Glide Body.GA-EMS has not yet disclosed the value of its subcontract or the quantities of components it will manufacture. Its work through 2031 will nevertheless add another production partner to a program that depends on coordinating specialized mechanical, electrical, and thermal technologies across two military services.