Pentagon calls for cheaper long-range strike weapons, with testing in just 3 months

Key Points:

• The Pentagon is urgently seeking to develop cheap, long-range guided munitions called Ground-Based Affordable Mass (GBAM) weapons, costing less than $250,000 each, to address shortages exposed by the Iran war and reduce reliance on expensive missiles like the Tomahawk.
• The GBAM initiative aims to deliver affordable, scalable long-range strike capabilities within 3 months for demonstration and 18 months for full production, enabling commanders to engage more targets while preserving high-value munitions.
• The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has launched the GBAM Challenge, inviting companies to submit proposals by August 5, with prizes including $250,000 for Phase II finalists and up to $5 million for operational test quantities, backed by a total government budget of $250 million.
• GBAM weapons are expected to be ground-launched, autonomous, capable of operating in GPS-denied environments, have a range of at least 600 nautical miles, and weigh between 35 to 100 pounds, with no need for proprietary launch equipment and production capacity of 100+ units per month.
• The Pentagon is also pursuing other affordable mass-produced strike weapons, such as the Family of Affordable Mass Missiles (FAMM-BAR) and Low-Cost Containerized Missiles hypersonic program, to diversify and expand its long-range strike options.