Army Picks Lockheed, Boeing-Anduril Team for Next Phase in IFPC Inc 2 Competition

The US Army has selected Lockheed Martin and a Boeing-Anduril team to move forward in the next phase of its Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) Increment 2 interceptor prototype program. This decision knocks Rafael, a US subsidiary of Israeli company Rafael, out of the competition.

The companies will advance to the demonstration phase of the development effort, with Lockheed Martin having already received an other Transaction Authority (OTA) for phase one of the program in October 2025. The Boeing-Anduril team's inclusion was announced in December 2025, followed by Rafael's addition in February.

The IFPC Increment 2 program aims to fill a capability gap between short-range air defense systems and longer-range defenses like Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense systems. Bob Ciesla, vice president of Boeing Precision Engagement Systems, said that the company's interceptor 'combines seeker technology, a compact form factor, a solid rocket motor supplied by Anduril Rocket Motor Systems and a Modular Open Systems Architecture.'

The Army awarded the current IFPC Increment 2 deal for the first interceptor to Dynetics, a Leidos subsidiary, and RTX in late 2024. However, service officials discovered that soldiers would need a second 'more capable' interceptor to target lower flying, supersonic cruise missiles.