U.S. Navy Awards SLCM-N Prototype Effort to Advance Sea-Based Nuclear Deterrent

On August 22nd, 2025 Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Crane Division, and Navy Strategic Systems Programs (SSP), awarded the Nuclear-Armed Sea-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM-N) prototype effort to five organizations tasked with developing missile prototype designs for the program. Leidos, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman were awarded as prime contractors for flight system integration and missile development, while Florida Turbine Technologies was awarded for missile technologies development. Each prime contractor leads a team of traditional and non-traditional defense contractors that will spearhead the initial phase of SLCM-N flight system design. Additional task area awards for launcher design and fabrication will be announced at a later date. SSP solicited the SLCM-N prototype effort through the Strategic & Spectrum Missions Advanced Resilient Trusted Systems (S²MARTS) Other Transaction Agreement (OTA). These prototype efforts are a major step in the development of a theater nuclear deterrent that is flexible, credible, and survivable to expand Presidential response options.

To connect the government with the right innovators, S²MARTS, managed by National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL), hosted a two-day Industry Day in Odon, Indiana that brought together nearly 100 industry organizations for live presentations, networking, and one-on-one sessions. The event gave S²MARTS members the opportunity to directly engage with SSP on program priorities while enabling the government to tap into a broader pool of innovators. By leveraging the S²MARTS ecosystem, the program team drove stronger engagement from non-traditional defense contractors (NTDCs), with 33% of proposals ultimately coming from NTDCs and every awarded prime contractor being teamed with at least one NTDC. The Industry Day illustrated the Navy’s critical investment in the U.S. DoD’s future force, ensuring a survivable and flexible nuclear deterrent that can meet emerging threats.

Leveraging the speed and flexibility of the S²MARTS OTA, the newly selected SLCM-N awardees will begin preparations for future missile development. This includes conducting trade studies, developing missile prototypes, and integrating them with diverse, complex subsystems. A key focus will be maturing integrated system concept designs, with careful evaluation of affordability, manufacturability, and operational impact to guide later OTA Phases for the SLCM-N program. Finally, the SLCM-N program awardees will establish their digital environments and system engineering processes for managing system specifications and interfaces.

About S²MARTS

The Strategic & Spectrum Missions Advanced Resilient Trusted Systems (S²MARTS), managed by NSTXL, is the premier rapid OT contracting vehicle for the Department of Defense (DoD) in trusted microelectronics, strategic & spectrum mission, and other critical mission areas. The Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Crane Division created S²MARTS to grow and engage an elite network of innovators, shorten the path to defense prototype development, and advance national security efforts.