- Lockheed Martin introduced the CMMT, a low-cost cruise missile designed to be easily reproducible and affordable, especially for large-scale conflicts. It was developed alongside the Rapid Dragon program, which involves launching palletized cruise missiles from cargo planes.
- The CMMT is simpler than other advanced missiles like JASSM or LRASM, featuring a basic engine, basic warhead, and additive manufacturing to reduce production costs.
- The CMMT, combined with the Rapid Dragon delivery system, offers a cost-effective and versatile solution for the U.S. military, enhancing its capabilities in future conflicts.
Full Story
For this week’s weapon of the week, the crew visited with Lockheed Martin to discuss the company’s new low-cost cruise missile called the CMMT, or the Comet. Lockheed’s vice president of strategy and requirements, air weapons and sensors, Mike Rothstein, met with the team to discuss this innovative missile.
What is the CMMT?
The CMMT was introduced around the same time as Rapid Dragon, a program involving palletized cruise missiles launched from the back of a cargo plane.
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The following is an excerpt of Weapons and Warfare Host Ryan Robertson’s conversation with Rothstein. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Ryan Robertson: How did CMMT come about, with Rapid Dragon around that same time?
Mike Rothstein: Yeah, that’s a great question. We understand that the U.S. Air Force and the Department of Defense need not only the exquisite weapons we are known for but also more affordable options. These need to be easier to develop and produce, especially for large-scale conflicts. The combination of CMMT, designed to be lower cost and easily producible, with Rapid Dragon’s delivery system from cargo aircraft, creates a powerful deterrent.
Robertson: How was Lockheed Martin able to produce something at a lower price point?
Rothstein: Well, you know, keep in mind they’re different missiles. CMMT isn’t designed to do everything that a JASSM or a LRASM does. It doesn’t have the same exquisite sensors, large warhead, or advanced survivability techniques. We’ve made it very simple, using a basic engine, basic warhead, and additive manufacturing to reduce production costs. We’re focusing on manufacturing efficiency to create a weapon that is good enough for many operational needs.
Robertson: What kind of target sets are we imaging for the CMMT?
Rothstein: I think it will be a range of target sets. In tomorrow’s war, targets won’t stay still. Our baseline capability is to hit moving or movable targets. It may be sea-based or land-based. While it won’t have a huge warhead for the biggest, hardest targets, it will be able to hit a variety of targets effectively.
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Conclusion
The CMMT represents a significant advancement in cruise missile technology, offering a cost-effective solution for the U.S. military. Its simplicity and ease of production make it a valuable addition to the arsenal, especially when combined with the Rapid Dragon delivery system. As the U.S. continues to innovate in defense technology, the CMMT stands out as a versatile and affordable option for future conflicts.
Access the full Weapons and Warfare episode here.
Access all Weapons and Warfare podcast episodes here.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
ALL RIGHT, FOLKS, FOR OUR WEAPON OF THE WEEK, WHERE YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT LOCKHEED MARTIN’S NEW LOW COST CRUISE MISSILE CALLED THE COMET. AND WITH ME NOW IS MIKE ROTHSTEIN WITH LOCKHEED MARTIN TO TALK TO ME ABOUT THIS BAD BOY. THIS CAME OUT AROUND THE SAME TIME AS RAPID DRAGON. THAT’S THE PROGRAM OF PALLETIZED CRUISE MISSILES AT THE BACK OF A CARGO PLANE. HOW DID COMET COME ABOUT WITH RAPID DRAGON AROUND THAT SAME TIME?
[MICHAEL ROTHSTEIN, VP STRATEGY & REQUIREMENTS, AIR WEAPONS & SENSORS LOCKHEED MARTIN]
“Yeah, that’s a great question. So we understand that the US Air Force, our US Department of Defense, has a need to not only have the exquisite weapons that we make that are so well known and do a great job, but also to be able to come in at a place that’s more affordable, that’s easier to develop and produce and go after a lot of targets if we get into a serious fighting war. And so the combination of comet, which is really designed to be lower cost, more easily producible, more easily scaled in production, as well as be modular and updated along the way, you put that together with rapid Dragon, where you’re now delivering out of a cargo aircraft. And those two things become a really powerful deterrent.”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
YOU BET. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COMET DOES FOR THEIR FOR THE US DOD, IS LOWER THEIR PRICE POINT TO GET ONE OF THESE, RIGHT? HOW? HOW WAS LOCKHEED MARTIN ABLE TO DO THAT TO PRODUCE SOMETHING THAT’S WITH THAT LOWER PRICE POINT?
[MICHAEL ROTHSTEIN, VP STRATEGY & REQUIREMENTS, AIR WEAPONS & SENSORS LOCKHEED MARTIN]
“Well, you know, keep in mind it’s they’re different missiles, right? It’s not going to do everything that a jasmine or a Loram does. It’s designed to be right. So it’s not going to have some of the exquisite sensors that we have in this. It’s not going to have as big a warhead and some of the survivability techniques that we use. So we’ve made this very, very simple, right? So you’re taking basic engine, basic warhead, a basic additive manufacturing which can reduce some of your production costs. And you’re getting really down to the basics, and you’re focusing on, how do I start from manufacturing? Is the going in premise and get a weapon that is good, but good enough, as opposed to exquisite, as opposed to, how do I solve the hardest operational problems there are.”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
YOU BET, YOU BET. AND WHAT KIND OF TARGET SETS ARE WE IMAGINING FOR THE COMET?
[MICHAEL ROTHSTEIN, VP STRATEGY & REQUIREMENTS, AIR WEAPONS & SENSORS LOCKHEED MARTIN]
“I think it will be a range of target sets. You know, we certainly understand that in tomorrow’s war, the idea that targets are going to stay still and allowed to be shot is probably not going to happen. So we’re really focused on as a baseline capability is the ability to hit a moving target, or movable target, and from that, I think it can expand. It may be sea based, it may be land based, right? And it’s not going to have a huge warhead, so it’s not going to go after your biggest, hardest targets, but it’ll be able to hit a variety of things through there, absolutely.”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
MIKE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY. REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
[MICHAEL ROTHSTEIN, VP STRATEGY & REQUIREMENTS, AIR WEAPONS & SENSORS LOCKHEED MARTIN]
“You bet my pleasure. Thanks.”
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