At the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting 2025 in Washington D.C., Lockheed Martin unveiled a new concept for a ramjet-powered anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM), marking a significant evolution in U.S. long-range precision strike capabilities. Designed to counter increasingly capable peer adversary navies—especially in the Indo-Pacific—the system blends high-speed propulsion with advanced targeting to engage moving maritime targets at extended ranges.
Ramjet-Powered ASBM Concept: What We Know
The missile concept displayed by Lockheed Martin is a ground-launched anti-ship ballistic missile equipped with an air-breathing ramjet propulsion system—an unusual combination that seeks to merge the speed and trajectory of ballistic missiles with sustained powered flight and maneuverability. The model shown at AUSA 2025 features a sleek aerodynamic design with forward-mounted air intakes and control surfaces optimized for high-speed atmospheric flight.
While Lockheed has not disclosed precise specifications such as range or warhead type, company representatives indicated that the system is intended to provide theater-level maritime strike capability against high-value naval assets such as aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships. The missile would likely be launched from existing U.S. Army ground-based platforms—potentially leveraging infrastructure developed for the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) or Mid-Range Capability (MRC) systems.
The use of a ramjet enables sustained supersonic flight over long distances without requiring large booster stages or complex staging mechanisms. This could allow the missile to maintain high speed while executing terminal maneuvers against moving ships—a key challenge for traditional ballistic systems targeting mobile maritime platforms.
Strategic Context: Countering Peer Navies in Contested Domains
The unveiling of this ASBM concept comes amid growing U.S. concern over China’s expanding naval capabilities and its own DF-21D and DF-26B anti-ship ballistic missiles—both of which are designed to hold U.S. carrier strike groups at risk within the First and Second Island Chains. By developing a responsive ground-based ASBM capability, the U.S. Army could contribute directly to joint maritime denial operations in contested littoral zones.
This aligns with emerging multi-domain operations (MDO) doctrine that envisions integrated fires across land, sea, air, space, and cyber domains. A land-based ASBM would allow rapid deployment across Pacific island chains or European theater positions without reliance on vulnerable fixed infrastructure or naval platforms.
Moreover, this development complements other U.S. efforts such as the Navy’s Maritime Strike Tomahawk (MST), Air Force’s AGM-183 ARRW hypersonic glide vehicle (now canceled), and DARPA’s OpFires program—all aimed at enhancing long-range precision strike options against mobile targets.
Technology Drivers: Ramjets vs Boost Glide Systems
The decision to pursue a ramjet-powered ASBM rather than a boost-glide hypersonic vehicle reflects key tradeoffs in propulsion technology:
- Ramjets: Operate efficiently between Mach 3–6 using atmospheric oxygen; offer sustained thrust without complex staging; better suited for mid-to-high altitude cruise phases; potentially lower cost per shot than boost-glide systems.
- Boost-glide vehicles: Reach higher speeds (Mach 7+), but require large rocket boosters; rely on unpowered glide after separation; more difficult thermal management; complex reentry dynamics.
By combining ballistic launch profiles with powered terminal phases via ramjets, Lockheed’s concept aims to deliver both reach and maneuverability—key for engaging moving maritime targets protected by layered defenses like Aegis Combat System or PLAN’s HHQ-series SAMs.
Integration Pathways: Platform Compatibility and C4ISR Requirements
If adopted into a formal program of record, this ASBM would need integration into existing Army fire control networks such as AFATDS (Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System) and joint C4ISR architectures like Link 16 or future Joint All-Domain Command & Control (JADC2). Targeting moving ships requires real-time ISR inputs from airborne or space-based sensors capable of cueing mid-course updates or terminal guidance corrections.
This implies reliance on assets such as MQ-4C Triton UAVs, P-8A Poseidons with AN/APY-10 radar suites, overhead SAR/GMTI satellites, or even commercial RF geolocation services like HawkEye360. Given its role in joint operations across services and domains, interoperability will be critical from early development stages onward.
On the launcher side, it remains unclear whether this system would use modified HIMARS/MLRS launchers—as with PrSM—or require dedicated canisters akin to MRC/Typhon systems designed for larger munitions like SM-6 or Tomahawk variants.
Status & Outlook: From Concept Model to Program Candidate?
As of October 2025, Lockheed Martin has not confirmed whether this ASBM has entered any formal prototyping phase under programs like Rapid Capabilities Office initiatives or Strategic Fires modernization portfolios. However, its public debut suggests active interest from stakeholders within Army Futures Command and INDOPACOM planners seeking new tools for deterrence-by-denial strategies in contested maritime regions.
The company may seek funding under FY26 budget cycles through DARPA partnerships or direct Army R&D channels such as Long Range Precision Fires Cross Functional Team (LRPF-CFT). If successful in securing early demonstration contracts within the next two years, flight testing could begin before FY28—with IOC potentially achievable by early 2030s depending on maturation timelines for propulsion components and seeker technologies.
Conclusion
The emergence of Lockheed Martin’s ramjet-powered anti-ship ballistic missile concept signals growing momentum behind distributed land-based strike options tailored for modern naval warfare environments. By leveraging air-breathing propulsion within a ballistic framework—and integrating into joint ISR ecosystems—the system promises an innovative approach to countering peer adversary fleets through rapid-response precision fires launched from shore-based platforms.
If transitioned into an operational capability alongside other long-range fires programs like PrSM Increment 4 or Typhon/SMRF batteries equipped with SM-6/Tomahawk derivatives—the U.S. military could field one of the most versatile multi-domain strike toolkits yet conceived for Indo-Pacific deterrence missions.
