Leidos has won a US Air Force contract to develop a hypersonic aircraft capable of carrying attack and reconnaissance payloads. This was reported by The Drive publication.

The publication emphasizes that the work commissioned by the US Air Force will be carried out under the secret Mayhem program. Meanwhile, a hypersonic platform capable of carrying various loads, especially for shock and reconnaissance purposes, must be created.

The maximum amount that Leidos can receive as part of its work with Mayhem is $334 million. The publication states that the first information about the project became known to the public in 2020 and relates to engine development plans for hypersonic vehicles. At the same time, the main part of the work on the power plants is planned to be completed by October 15, 2028.

Drive points out that the early description of the Mayhem aircraft is fully consistent with what the SR-72 unmanned hypersonic drone, studied by Lockheed Martin Corporation’s Skunk Works division, should have looked like.