Lockheed Martin QuadStar is a promising successor to the FIM—92 Stinger missile in the US Army competition

QuadStar

Lockheed Martin has unveiled a new QuadStar missile, which is participating in the US Department of Defense's competition to replace the outdated FIM-92 Stinger portable air defense missile. The competition is held as part of the Next Generation Short Range Interceptor (NGSRI) program, which also involves the development of Raytheon. Both projects are aimed at creating a more effective short-range interceptor with improved characteristics.

The QuadStar is a compact missile about 1.5 meters long with a diameter of 2.75 inches, equipped with an infrared guidance system and a high—explosive fragmentation warhead. Unlike previous Lockheed designs such as the Miniature Hit-to-Kill (MHTK), the QuadStar uses an explosive warhead to enhance the effectiveness of hitting both small drones and larger targets, including fixed-wing aircraft.

One of the key features of the QuadStar is its advanced target acquisition technology, based on Lockheed's expertise in aerodynamics and miniaturization of electronics. The rocket has a modular architecture, which makes it easier to integrate new features and updates in the future. In addition, the project pays special attention to reducing production costs while maintaining high efficiency.

An important element of the new system is the Command Launch Assembly (CLA), which provides automatic target recognition, friend—foe identification, and simplifies the process of missile guidance and launch. This significantly increases the operator's reaction speed and reduces the risk of errors.

The NGSRI program is part of the broader strategy of the US Army to modernize its Short Range Air Defense (MHORAD) capabilities, including the integration of new missile systems and energy weapons based on mobile platforms.

Lockheed Martin and Raytheon have received prototype development contracts with a total budget of over $700 million. It is expected that the final selection of the winner of the competition will be made after several years of testing and improvements.