Anduril’s agreement to build Surface-Launched Barracuda-500M cruise missiles sets a minimum of 3,000 over three years, at least 1,000 a year, Anduril announced on 13 May. Neither Anduril nor the Department of War gave a value.
It is a production framework, not a priced order. The Pentagon’s Low-Cost Containerized Missiles programme first buys test missiles from four makers: Anduril, CoAspire, Leidos and Zone 5. Each then faces a Military Utility Assessment by the services.
Firm unit prices for lots from 2027 to 2029 come after that, and none has been published. The Army’s fires acquisition office leads the purchase.
The test buys began in June. On 19 August a low-cost containerized missile was fired at White Sands Missile Range during an Army exercise. The Army called it a successful demonstration but did not name the maker or give results.
The missile
Anduril says the Barracuda-500M flies more than 500 nautical miles, about 926 km, with a 100-pound payload. A Tomahawk carries a warhead of about 1,000 pounds.
A 20-foot shipping container holds 16 rounds, so a launcher travels by road, ship or air like ordinary cargo. Anduril plans to deliver 60 launch systems in 2027.
Building it
Anduril says 70% of the missile is commodity parts, assembled in 30 hours with ten common hand tools. It has spent more than $40 million on a 115,000-square-foot plant in Southern California that already builds Barracuda variants.
Its larger factory, Arsenal-1 near Columbus, Ohio, is planned at 5 million square feet. Anduril said Barracuda production there would start this autumn. It has not announced that it has.
In July the Pentagon signed a separate seven-year framework for air-launched low-cost missiles with Anduril, CoAspire and Zone 5. It depends on testing and on Congress funding it.
