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Dynetics IFPC Inc. 2 launcher.
Boeing is progressing on its design of an all-new missile for the U.S. Army’s Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) system ahead of an expected downselect next year.
The Army in 2023 announced plans to field a second interceptor for IFPC, in addition to the AIM-9X missile the system already uses. Army officials have called for a capability like that of the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (Amraam), but in a smaller form factor so it could be more efficiently used by mobile units to target incoming cruise missiles and other threats. The service had called for development over about five years.
Boeing announced in March it had been selected to advance in the competition. Jim Leary, Boeing’s executive director for business development, space, intelligence and weapon systems, said the Army’s plan to use an other transaction agreement (OTA) to begin design and trade studies ahead of an engineering and manufacturing development phase allowed the company to start from the beginning on its design.
“Given the acquisition strategy and the phasing of it, this is a new design for us,” Leary says. “That’s the beauty of the Army using an OTA, phased approach … [it has] an acquisition timeline that allows for a new missile to be designed.”
Leary says the company expects the Army to make a downselect for the second phase in early 2026, which will begin the “EMD-ish kind of phase.” Boeing and other competitors are conducting their designs and trade studies to work toward that phase.
In addition to Boeing, companies including Lockheed Martin and Rafael have announced plans to compete.
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