Two north Alabama companies have won bids for U.S. Army contracts totaling almost $700 million, U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby announced Friday.

One contract went to Dynetics Technical Solutions for work that will take place in Huntsville. The other went to Lockheed Martin for work that will take place in part in Courtland in Lawrence County.

Dynetics, with a $351.6 million contract, will produce Common-Hypersonic Glide Body prototypes.

Lockheed Martin, with a $347 million contract, to serve as the Long Range Hypersonic Weapon prototype system integrator.

“Hypersonic weapons are a critical priority as we continue to innovate and improve our nation’s defense,” Shelby said in the announcement. “The decision by the Army to select Dynetics, located right here in Alabama, and Lockheed Martin’s Courtland facility to advance this important national security initiative is a testament to the complex defense work taking place in our state. These contracts allow us to leverage commercial technology to field needed weapons to our soldiers in just a few years. This is incredible news, not only for Alabama, but also for the entire nation and the modernization of our armed forces.”

According to the announcement from Shelby, the contract awarded to Dynetics will provide for the production of at least 20 C-HGB prototypes. Over a three-year period, Dynetics, in collaboration with Sandia National Laboratories, will produce the first commercially manufactured set of prototype C-HGB systems, which will be used by the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, and the Missile Defense Agency. As the prime contractor for the C-HGB, Dynetics will provide program and supplier management; procurement; assembly, integration and testing; electrical and mechanical manufacturing; and systems engineering for the prototype.

The contract awarded to Lockheed Martin for its service as the LRHW prototype system integrator will allow for support in manufacturing, assembly, integration, test, systems engineering, and analysis – part of which will occur at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Courtland, Alabama.

The C-HGB will be part of an integrated Army hypersonic weapons system prototype that will deliver residual combat capability to soldiers by Fiscal Year 2023. This new class of ultrafast, maneuverable, long range missile will launch from mobile ground platforms. Hypersonic weapons are unique in that they are capable of flying at five times the speed of sound and operate at varying altitudes.