Next-generation short-range interceptor flight test completed by Lockheed Martin
NewsJanuary 14, 2026
WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, New Mexico. Lockheed Martin completed the first in a planned series of flight tests for its Next-Generation Short-Range Interceptor (NGSRI), which the company is developing as a potential replacement for the Stinger missile, the company announced in a statement.
The flight test occurred at U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico and was intended to validate interceptor performance and assess key subsystem maturity, the statement reads. Lockheed Martin says the effort is focused on short-range air defense needs and threats that include uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) as well as rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft.
The company states that the design is intended to incorporate open systems architecture and modularity so the system can be updated over time. Lockheed Martin says it moved the interceptor from concept to first flight in 26 months following an initial contract award in 2023. The company adds that the program uses artificial intelligence and machine learning in the interceptor’s development approach.
