Covenant Industries Unveils Long-Range Cruise Missile Designed for Potential Conflict with China
Covenant Industries, an American defense startup, showcased a new long-range cruise missile on Wednesday, claiming it can be rapidly mass-produced at a relatively low cost. The company openly states that the missile has been designed for potential warfare scenarios involving China, according to reports.
The presentation follows two years of development and aligns with U.S. efforts to replenish its stockpiles of precision munitions after military engagements that have depleted essential armaments.
Dubbed “Anthem,” the newly developed missile is ground-launched and capable of carrying a payload exceeding 200 kilograms.
In a conflict scenario, Anthem would be deployed in large quantities, operating alongside other long-range missiles including the Tomahawk cruise missile, which has a range of about 1,600 kilometers, produced by Raytheon’s RTX division, and the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER) from Lockheed Martin, which boasts a range of nearly 1,000 kilometers.
Aiming to Compete with Major Defense Contractors
Michael Kaufman, co-founder and CEO of Covenant, stated in an interview that comparable weapons produced by top American defense contractors are often manufactured in limited quantities at significantly higher prices. “Therefore, we aimed to change this,” he emphasized.
Founded in 2024, Covenant has secured over $250 million in investments from individual backers as well as venture funds, receiving notable support from investors in Silicon Valley.
The company currently employs over 200 staff across the United States, Germany, and Israel.
The Anthem missile utilizes a solid fuel rocket engine for launch and a heavy-fuel jet engine for cruise flight. Covenant reports having conducted over 200 test flights of the missile in the past year.
Plans for Mass Production
Covenant executives indicate that the missile has been specifically designed with the Pacific region in mind, particularly considering a potential conflict with China. “We designed it with a possible conflict with China in mind,” stated Abby Denburg, president of Covenant.
Military planners envision deploying ground-launched weapons to defend allied islands near China, such as the Philippines, without relying on manned aircraft or naval strike groups.
The company aims to price each missile in the hundreds of thousands of dollars once production reaches full capacity. Covenant has already received orders worth approximately $150 million and expects to begin generating revenue by 2027, as deliveries increase.
An international customer is set to receive German-manufactured Anthem missiles by the end of this year, while deliveries to the U.S. military are anticipated to commence in 2027, according to company executives.
Covenant’s new Dallas facility, covering 9,750 square meters, will open its doors on Wednesday and is projected to achieve a production capacity of 5,000 missiles annually. The company also operates a similarly sized facility in Saxony, Germany, which will have the same production capacity, alongside a smaller unit in northern Israel, expected to produce 2,000 units per year.
