Leidos mobilizes supply chain to scale production of thousands of U.S. cruise missiles

RESTON, Va., Nov. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Leidos (NYSE: LDOS) is moving to strengthen the U.S. missile industrial base and prepare for production of thousands of affordable long-range cruise missiles, bringing together key missile-component suppliers to develop and scale production of its new Low-Cost Containerized Missile (LCCM) and the combat-proven AGM-190A Havoc Spear missile.

The summit, held September 26 at Leidos' global headquarters, aligned industry partners on requirements, manufacturing capacity, timelines and delivery schedules. That work supports the May 13 framework agreement between the Department of War and Leidos for an initial 3,000 LCCM weapons, which is expected to advance the nation's long-range strike capacity. It also supports the combat-proven AGM-190A Havoc Spear cruise missile, as initial deliveries to Air Force Special Operations Command are now underway.

Leidos perspective: "The nationwide Leidos cruise missile supply chain team is putting in place the robust plans and resources that'll allow us quickly scale cruise missile production," said Leidos Defense President Cindy Gruensfelder. "We're investing in our people, facilities, and supply chain to deliver proven capability to warfighters with a real sense of urgency."

Scaling for America's security: 

• Industrial capacity: Leidos' LCCM and AGM-190A production work will primarily be in Huntsville, Alabama, and McEwen, Tennessee. Its suppliers will do work in 14 states across the country.

What's next:

• LCCM: The first missiles are expected to be delivered in 2027 to support test and evaluation, with full-rate production anticipated in 2028 and 2029.
• AGM-190A Havoc Spear: Leidos has begun initial deliveries to Air Force Special Operations Command and received a summer 2026 contract award from U.S. Special Operations Command for 45 missiles, with deliveries under that award expected to begin in fall 2027.

Supplier perspectives: 

• "Demand has never been higher, and our customers are counting on us to deliver dependable propulsion for today's operational fleets and future programs," said Jessica Villardi, vice president of Fighter and Mobility Programs at Pratt & Whitney. "Pratt & Whitney is investing in capacity and advanced manufacturing to strengthen the industrial base and accelerate delivery of the proven, dependable power our customers need."

• "I think this is going to be the new paradigm going forward in delivering capability to the Department of War," said Ben Nicholson, Chief Commercial Officer for Divergent. "After a more than 30-year career in D.C., I haven't seen a prime pull suppliers together like this, at pace, with genuine urgency, and share information the way things were done today."

The big picture: Leidos brings decades of experience designing and integrating missile systems, launchers and precision strike technology for the U.S. military. Its portfolio includes the Army's Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 (IFPC Inc 2) launcher, hypersonic strike technology and advanced guidance and sensor capabilities for air and missile defense.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with approximately 50,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $17.2 billion for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2026. For more information, visit www.leidos.com.

Certain statements in this announcement constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These statements are based on management's current beliefs and expectations and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. These statements are not guarantees of future results or occurrences. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the "Risk Factors" set forth in Leidos' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2026, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Leidos does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of circumstances or events that arise after the date the forward-looking statements were made.

Media contact:

Philip Carder
(571) 926-6698
[email protected] 

SOURCE Leidos Holdings, Inc.