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Raytheon and Northrop last week were awarded similar contracts of about $41 million each to continue development of the counter-hypersonic missile, known as the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI), after being awarded initial contracts last fall.

The MDA’s decision eliminates Lockheed Martin from the competition to develop the GPI, which is designed to intercept hypersonic missiles — which can travel more than five times the speed of sound and maneuver rapidly.

The Pentagon is trying to speed the development of both offensive and defensive hypersonic capabilities, in response to aggressive hypersonics test programs mounted by China and Russia.

The MDA plans to launch the GPI using the U.S. Navy’s Aegis Weapon System, a mainly ship-based defense system already capable of launching various versions of Raytheon’s Standard Missile interceptors as part of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system.

Raytheon’s contract modification, valued at $41.5 million, runs into mid-February and increases the total value of its GPI work to more than $62 million.

While many details of the GPI prototypes remain secret, Raytheon says it is building on knowledge gained from producing anti-ballistic missiles, such as its Standard Missile interceptors, to meet future hypersonic threats.

“Our GPI is built on proven missile defense technology as its foundation,� said Tay Fitzgerald, Raytheon president of strategic missile defense. “By using digital engineering and leveraging high technology readiness level components and subsystems already in use across Standard Missile and hypersonic programs, we can quickly advance the creation of this new interceptor.�

Northrop Grumman’s contract modification of $41.4 million brings its total contract value to more than $60 million. Its work will be performed in Chandler, home to Northrop’s aerospace launch-vehicle business.

Raytheon is involved in several offensive U.S. hypersonic missile programs and is partnered with Northrop on the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept, or HAWC, which successfully had its first free-flight test last September.