The U.S. Air Force awarded The Boeing Company a $75 million Undefinitized Contract Action (UCA) on August 5, 2026, clearing the Joint Direct Attack Munition Long Range (JDAM LR) for initial production for the U.S. Navy.

Designated as the GBU-75, the weapon system transforms standard unguided gravity bombs into powered cruise missiles. In a press release issued on August 5, Boeing confirmed the contract funds the acquisition of the BSU-111/B Payload Delivery Unit (PDU). This provides an affordable, mass-producible standoff strike capability that allows pilots to engage targets from beyond the effective range of enemy air defenses.

Technical specifications and development

The JDAM LR, previously referred to in development as the Powered JDAM (PJDAM), integrates a Kratos Defense & Security Solutions TDI J85 turbojet engine and deployable wings manufactured by Ferra Engineering with the existing JDAM guidance tail kit. According to Boeing, the munition features a 500-pound class (226-kilogram) payload capacity and an operational range exceeding 300 nautical miles.

Prior to the August 5 contract award, Boeing invested nearly $100 million internally to develop the JDAM LR program. Bob Ciesla, Vice President of Boeing Precision Engagement Systems, stated the production contract demonstrates the company’s ability to deliver long-range precision-strike capability at a significantly lower cost. Ciesla noted that scaling production of the GBU-75 will provide the fleet with a sustainable solution designed to eliminate long-range threats in contested battlespaces.

Flight testing and fleet integration

The production clearance follows a series of successful flight tests conducted by the U.S. Navy. On April 1, 2026, the U.S. Navy launched the inaugural flight test of the JDAM LR from an F/A-18 Super Hornet off the coast of California. Defense News reported that the munition flew approximately 200 nautical miles during a 34-minute flight. A subsequent test on April 3, 2026, incorporated altitude changes and weapon maneuvering.

Capt. Sarah Abbott, Precision Strike Weapons (PMA-201) Program Manager for the U.S. Navy, emphasized the tactical necessity of the weapon following the testing phase.

“As Naval Air Forces in theater continue to rely heavily on JDAM systems, the program recognizes a critical need to provide the fleet with greater standoff range. This new capability allows pilots to engage targets from significantly safer distances, maintaining a tactical advantage in contested environments,” Abbott said, as reported by Naval News.

Manufacturing and strategic need

Manufacturing for the GBU-75 will take place at Boeing’s facility in St. Charles, Missouri. The company is currently establishing dedicated manufacturing space for the JDAM LR while finalizing qualification and aircraft-integration work.

AirPro News analysis

We view the rapid progression of the JDAM LR from testing to initial production as a direct response to shifting global munitions inventories. Reporting from naval and defense outlets indicates that recent operations in the Middle East have significantly depleted stockpiles of various long-range strike munitions fielded by both the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy. By leveraging existing JDAM infrastructure and adding modular propulsion and lift components, the Department of Defense is prioritizing weapons that can be manufactured quickly and affordably at scale. The GBU-75 fills a critical gap between short-range glide bombs and highly exquisite, expensive cruise missiles, offering a sustainable volume-strike option for contested environments.

Sources: The Boeing Company

On August 6, 2026, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) awarded a contract valued at more than $6 million to DZYNE Technologies to advance the Long-Range Grasshopper autonomous aerial delivery system. The agreement accelerates the development of low-cost logistics capabilities designed to support the United States Air Force (USAF) Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concepts in contested environments.

According to a press release issued by Ondas Inc., the parent company of DZYNE Technologies, the contract marks a key integration milestone for its newly formed Ondas Sentinel defense division. Ondas acquired DZYNE on July 6, 2026, to build an autonomous defense platform focused on persistent intelligence and aerial security.

Advancing autonomous logistics for contested environments

The mature Grasshopper glider architecture has successfully delivered payloads of up to 500 pounds during operational use. The system is designed to provide scalable resupply options where traditional logistics chains may be compromised or unavailable.

Between 2024 and 2025, AFRL and DZYNE engineering teams conducted a comprehensive flight test campaign. This testing validated the system’s autonomous deployment, jet-engine air-start, extended-range navigation, and precision payload delivery capabilities.

Ryan Hartman, Chief Executive Officer of Ondas Sentinel, stated that long-range, low-cost autonomous delivery is a mission imperative for future conflicts.

“AFRL’s continued partnership underscores the Long-Range Grasshopper’s transformative potential. With this technology and team now fully integrated into Ondas Sentinel, we are advancing a capability that directly strengthens resilient, distributed sustainment for contested operations,” Hartman said.

Strategic expansion of the Ondas Sentinel portfolio

The AFRL contract follows a series of recent defense acquisitions and contract awards for Ondas Inc. The company established Ondas Sentinel following the July 6 acquisition of DZYNE Technologies, integrating the subsidiary’s engineering personnel and autonomous logistics technology into its broader defense portfolio.

Eric Brock, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ondas Inc., noted the strategic value of the award. He stated the contract validates the company’s strategy to build a defense platform addressing urgent national security challenges.

“By bringing DZYNE’s proven engineering talent and advanced autonomous logistics capabilities into Ondas Sentinel, we are expanding the depth and scale of our defense portfolio while creating new opportunities to support U.S. and allied customers,” Brock said.

The AFRL award adds to a growing backlog of defense orders for the company. On July 20, 2026, Ondas secured a $6.9 million order from the Australian Defence Force for Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Counter-UAS) solutions. Shortly after, on August 5, 2026, the company announced a U.S. Army order for lethal unmanned systems valued at over $50 million.

AirPro News analysis

The $6 million AFRL contract for the Long-Range Grasshopper highlights a growing USAF requirement for distributed logistics. As the military shifts toward ACE doctrines, the ability to resupply dispersed forces without risking crewed aircraft or relying on vulnerable traditional supply lines becomes critical. We view Ondas Inc.’s rapid succession of contract announcements in July and August 2026 as a clear indicator of the defense sector’s appetite for scalable, autonomous systems. By integrating DZYNE Technologies into Ondas Sentinel, the company is positioning itself to capture a larger share of the autonomous logistics and uncrewed aerial systems market.

Sources: Ondas Inc. / DZYNE Technologies

Lockheed Martin successfully completed a critical burst test of the second-stage motor case for the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) in Huntsville, Alabama, on August 4, 2026, keeping the missile defense program on schedule for a late 2026 design review.

The test validates the composite structure’s strength-to-weight ratio and its ability to withstand extreme launch environments. According to a press release issued by Lockheed Martin, the milestone advances the NGI program toward its Critical Design Review (CDR) and maintains the target fielding date of 2030.

Validating the NGI motor architecture

During the burst test, engineers filled the motor case with a carbon-fiber reinforced water vessel and inflated it beyond expected launch pressures. The structure successfully withstood the required induced loads before failure, confirming the design parameters.

The successful destruction test provides physical validation of the digital models used to design the second-stage motor case, ensuring the component can survive the aerodynamic and internal pressure stresses of an interceptor launch.

“This successful burst test is a significant milestone on the path to CDR and brings us closer to fielding NGI by 2030,” said Christopher Jewell, Vice President of Lockheed Martin NGI. “It proves our advanced motor architecture can withstand the harsh conditions of flight and still perform with the precision required to help protect the nation.”

Production infrastructure and program timeline

The NGI is a critical component of the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) architecture, designed to protect the United States against long-range ballistic missile threats. The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) selected Lockheed Martin as the prime contractor for the NGI in April 2024, transitioning the program from technology development to product development.

To support the manufacturing phase, Lockheed Martin opened a dedicated NGI assembly facility in Courtland, Alabama, in June 2026. The facility utilizes a digital-centric foundation to accelerate fabrication and validation processes, which the company credits with keeping the testing schedule on track.

AirPro News Market-Analysis

We view the successful burst test as a strong indicator of program stability ahead of the upcoming CDR. Transitioning from digital models to physical destructive Test-Flights often reveals structural vulnerabilities, but clearing this hurdle suggests the digital engineering tools utilized at the Courtland facility are yielding accurate real-world predictions. Meeting the 2030 fielding deadline remains an ambitious target for the MDA, making strict adherence to the 2026 testing schedule critical for Lockheed Martin.

Sources: Lockheed Martin