WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy has awarded Virginia-based CoAspire a $70 million Prototype Other Transactional Agreement (OTA) to develop a ground-launched version of its Rapidly Adaptable Affordable Cruise Missile-Extended Range (RAACM-ER) under the Coalition Heterogeneous Affordable Offensive Strike (CHAOS) program.
The agreement was brokered through CMG Networks on behalf of the Naval Aviation Systems Consortium. Under the contract, CoAspire will design, build, test, and deliver the system to the Navy's Program Executive Office for Munitions (PMX-201).
The CHAOS program is focused on Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and is intended to provide U.S. allies and coalition partners with an affordable, scalable, and ground-launched precision strike capability for engaging both maritime and land targets.
To meet the program's requirements, CoAspire is adapting its turbojet-powered RAACM-ER cruise missile with a new booster and launcher system to create a mobile ground-based strike platform. The missile uses GPS-assisted navigation together with a long-wave infrared seeker, enabling it to engage fixed land targets as well as moving ships at sea.
Doug Denneny, CEO and founder of CoAspire, said the company is pleased to support the U.S. Navy under the CHAOS program.
"CoAspire is thrilled to support the U.S. Navy with this much-needed, affordable, mid-range maritime strike weapon. We, and our 56 first-tier suppliers across almost every state, are excited to support PMX-201, NAVAIR, and our coalition partners with an affordable cruise missile solution."
Focus on Affordable and Scalable Production
According to CoAspire, the RAACM family is designed to support rapid and cost-effective manufacturing. The company uses additive manufacturing (industrial 3D printing) to produce the missile's fuselage, reducing reliance on traditional tooling and lowering manufacturing costs.
The manufacturing approach also reduces the number of internal structural components, creating additional internal space for a larger fuel tank. CoAspire says this allows engineers to develop structural modifications and new variants in months rather than the years typically required through conventional aerospace manufacturing. The company also prioritizes the use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components to help reduce supply chain constraints.
Part of Wider U.S. Affordable Munitions Effort
The CHAOS ground-launched missile shares significant engineering with the RAACM-ER GHOST configuration, which CoAspire is developing under the Low-Cost Containerized Munition (LCCM) program.
The LCCM program, supported by the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering and the U.S. Army, aims to procure tens of thousands of low-cost cruise missiles beginning in 2027 to strengthen munition stockpiles for future operational requirements.
CoAspire is also participating in the U.S. Air Force's Family of Affordable Mass Missiles (FAMM) initiative through a multi-year framework agreement covering an air-launched version of the RAACM.
By adapting the RAACM-ER for ground launch under the CHAOS program, the U.S. Navy aims to provide allied nations with access to an affordable cruise missile that can be produced at scale using the same manufacturing base supporting other RAACM variants.
Source : navalnews
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