Leidos develops scalable containerized strike missile for Pentagon

RESTON, Va. - Leidos announced plans to provide an initial 3,000 Low-Cost Containerized Munitions (LCCM) cruise missiles to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) under a framework agreement intended to expand U.S. ground-launched strike capability and accelerate production capacity for precision weapons.

The company said it will expand its workforce and production facilities in Huntsville, Ala., and McEwen, Tenn., to support LCCM manufacturing. Leidos is funding the system's development internally, leveraging technologies developed under its AGM-190A Small Cruise Missile program.

The AGM-190A Small Cruise Missile was designed as a lower-cost, modular cruise missile intended to reduce unit cost while maintaining precision-strike capability. The program emphasized scalable manufacturing approaches, open-systems integration, and modular architecture intended to support rapid production and easier integration of new guidance, payload, and mission systems.

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Leidos officials say the LCCM builds on that design approach to provide a rapidly producible precision-strike weapon for long-range ground-launch applications. The missile is expected to enter production in 2027 following system design, development, and testing activities.

From a financial perspective, the agreement represents an early-stage production framework rather than a fully funded program of record, with revenue tied to future low-rate and full-rate production orders rather than a disclosed fixed contract ceiling.  Neither unit pricing nor total program value has been disclosed at this stage.

Open architecture 

The LCCM is approximately twice the size of the AGM-190A Small Cruise Missile and is designed to provide increased range and mission effectiveness through greater fuel capacity. The system incorporates a modular airframe and a Weapon Open Systems Architecture (WOSA) approach intended to simplify upgrades, mission customization, and integration of new subsystems.

Open-architecture missile designs are increasingly used across the defense sector to accelerate technology refresh cycles, reduce integration timelines, and enable faster incorporation of new sensors, seekers, and communications capabilities without redesigning entire weapon systems.

Company officials also said the missile’s modular architecture could support future maritime and air-launched variants in addition to its initial ground-launched configuration. Containerized launch concepts are also drawing growing interest for their potential to improve deployment flexibility and enable distributed launch operations from mobile or dispersed positions.

Leidos has an established role in U.S. missile and strike-system development programs. In addition to the AGM-190A Small Cruise Missile effort, the company serves as prime contractor for the U.S. Army's Enduring Shield Indirect Fire Protection Capability launcher and supports hypersonic weapons efforts involving the Common Hypersonic Glide Body.