The Pentagon’s Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) is launching an effort to develop a new family of maneuverable, high-precision hypersonic weapons engineered to bypass modern air and missile defense systems.
According to a special notice published on August 21 on the primary U.S. federal contracting platform, the initiative—referred to as Offensive Fires—will encompass several distinct programs. These systems will utilize varying stand-off ranges, booster dimensions, and payload configurations to strike a diverse range of high-value targets.
Hypersonic systems fly at speeds exceeding Mach 5 while maintaining horizontal maneuverability. By flying lower than traditional ballistic missiles—which follow high, predictable arcs—and faster than conventional cruise missiles, these weapons operate within a gap between current ground-based interceptors and space-based tracking networks.
To accelerate development, the SCO plans to issue multiple Phase 1 Concept Development Other Transactions for Prototype contracts under 10 U.S.C. § 4022. This statutory mechanism allows the Department of War to bypass standard procurement timelines. SCO Director Jay Dryer has emphasized that the office focuses on rapidly prototyping disruptive technologies, aiming to field capabilities within three to five years rather than traditional multi-decade acquisition cycles.
The SCO will brief defense contractors on classified program details during an Industry Day scheduled for September 14 to September 16, 2026, in Chantilly, Virginia. Briefings will span classification levels up to Top Secret with Special Access Required.
The public notice did not reveal program funding, target production volumes, specific range metrics, or the exact number of sub-programs under the Offensive Fires umbrella. It remains clear how these new concepts will integrate with existing hypersonic programs, such as the Army’s Dark Eagle Long Range Hypersonic Weapon, the Air Force’s Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon, or the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile.
