Kratos  – a leading national security solutions provider – has been selected to assist with the Air Force Research Laboratory’s “Project Mayhem.”

The $334M contract, awarded by Leidos, was given to Kratos’ Defense and Rocket Support Services Division headquartered in Glen Burnie, Md. The Maryland team will be collaborating with Kratos’ Sacramento-based Unmanned Systems Division  on the project.

Mayhem is the Air Force’s Expendable Hypersonic Multi-Mission ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) and Strike program, otherwise known as the lab’s latest hypersonic weapon system. Kratos will work on this “air-breathing” bomber’s system requirements and conceptual design, the company said in its announcement . Kratos will also contribute its expertise to the System Design Agent (SDA) team, with Leidos and other SDA members, to produce the best possible prototype and hypersonic system design.

“Kratos Defense and Rocket Support Services, Inc. is excited about supporting a range of hypersonic programs with testing, analyses, and system development,” said Joshua H. Peterson, managing director of Kratos Space & Missile Defense Systems, Inc. “We believe hypersonic technologies are pivotal to the nation’s defense. We already have over 50 highly skilled employees within the state of Maryland, and we expect to increase our new hires by 60 percent, adding more science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professionals to our team over the next three years to support these high priority national defense programs.”

According to Kratos, air-breathing hypersonic systems use scramjet engines to generate thrust . This type of power will quickly transport the system over long distances, sending the UAV at speeds over 3,800 miles per hour, or greater than Mach 5 .

Here in Maryland, Kratos is in good company with innovative businesses on every corner. There are several local aerospace and aviation companies playing a significant role in the industry globally. And with many military installations right in our backyard, these companies help power a robust defense industry throughout the state.

Photo courtesy of Kratos, U.S. Air Force, and Leidos