Particle.news
Download on the App Store
4 ARTICLES
·
6d ago

Lockheed Martin Flies Next-Gen Short-Range Interceptor in First Test for Stinger Successor

Lockheed positions the design for the Army’s Stinger-replacement competition, citing rapid development plus a modular, AI-enabled architecture.

Lockheed Martin’s Next-Generation Short-Range Interceptor (NGSRI) Missile Completes Its First Flight Test In White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.

Overview

  • The inaugural flight took place on January 13, 2026 at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, with the company reporting validated performance and maturation of key subsystems.
  • Lockheed says the interceptor is intended to counter unmanned aerial systems as well as rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft, claiming more than double the capability of legacy Stinger systems in many scenarios.
  • The program moved from a 2023 contract award to first flight in roughly 26 months, and company officials say a controlled flight-test series was completed in under six months.
  • The design features an open systems architecture with modularity and AI/ML, and includes a new Command Launch Assembly with modern optics and digital fire control to reduce operator workload.
  • The effort proceeds within a competitive Army program that also includes a Raytheon–Northrop team, with further testing planned as the service evaluates next-generation short-range air defense options.