Overview
- GuideTech, a Kansas-based subsidiary of Palladyne AI, received a March 2026 Navy contract to develop the Air-Launched Rapid Response Missile.
- The company says the missile is designed for sustained cruise beyond Mach 4 at high altitude with a range over 350 nautical miles.
- ALRRM is slated to carry a 150‑pound warhead and is sized to meet internal‑carriage limits for fifth‑generation fighters, according to company statements.
- Palladyne AI describes an air‑breathing solid fuel ramjet propulsion system that forgoes onboard oxidizers to reduce weight and extend range versus rocket designs.
- Executives frame the program as a lower‑cost, near‑hypersonic deep‑strike option aligned with current U.S. defense priorities, with performance and affordability claims presented by the company.