Leidos Small Cruise Missile Designated AGM-190A by U.S. Air Force
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 6 days ago
0mins
Should l Buy LDOS?
Source: Newsfilter
- Missile Certification: Leidos' Small Cruise Missile (SCM) has been officially designated as AGM-190A by the U.S. Air Force, highlighting its critical role in addressing the Department of War's need for affordable stand-off strike capabilities.
- Testing Performance: The AGM-190A demonstrated a standoff range of over 400 nautical miles during testing from a C-130 aircraft, showcasing its adaptability and effectiveness in combat missions, thereby enhancing Leidos' competitiveness in the defense market.
- Modular Design: The missile's modular hardware design and open system software enable rapid adaptation to changing mission requirements, reflecting Leidos' strategic focus on innovative and scalable solutions.
- Market Confidence: The President of Leidos Defense Sector stated that the Air Force's designation of AGM-190A underscores confidence in Leidos as a provider of proven, affordable stand-off strike solutions, further solidifying the company's position in the defense sector.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy LDOS?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on LDOS
Wall Street analysts forecast LDOS stock price to rise
11 Analyst Rating
7 Buy
4 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 180.650
Low
178.00
Averages
219.70
High
235.00
Current: 180.650
Low
178.00
Averages
219.70
High
235.00
About LDOS
Leidos Holdings, Inc. is a holding company, which operates through its wholly owned subsidiary, Leidos, Inc. (Leidos). The Company’s segments include National Security & Digital, Health & Civil, Commercial & International and Defense Systems. Its National Security & Digital business provides technologically advanced services, solutions and products, as well as mission software capabilities for defense and intelligence customers in the areas of cyber, logistics, security operations and decision analytics. Its Health & Civil business provides services and solutions to federal and commercial customers in the areas of public health, care coordination, life and environmental sciences and transportation. Its Commercial & International business delivers a portfolio of products, services, and solutions aimed at securing national assets, modernizing energy and critical infrastructure, and enhancing mission outcomes. The Company serves government and commercial customers.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Surge in Enterprise Demand: Anthropic's business now derives 80% from enterprise customers, with an annual revenue run rate nearing $20 billion, up from $14 billion just weeks ago, indicating strong demand and potential market leadership in the enterprise AI sector.
- Regulatory Risk: The Trump administration's designation of Anthropic as a supply chain risk after it refused the Pentagon's terms has led to defense contractors dropping its technology, which could significantly impact customer trust and market share.
- Shift in Technology Reliance: As the government scrutinizes Anthropic, companies are reassessing their reliance on a single AI provider, with many evaluating multiple vendors simultaneously to mitigate risks, potentially altering the supply chain dynamics across the industry.
- Legal Challenges and Brand Impact: Anthropic plans to contest the government's supply chain risk designation legally; while its brand has benefited from consumer safety concerns, ongoing legal battles may affect investor confidence and the pace of market expansion.
See More
- Supply Chain Risk Declaration: The Trump administration's designation of Anthropic as a supply chain risk has prompted 10 startups working with the Department of Defense to cease using its Claude model and seek alternatives, potentially impacting about 80% of Anthropic's enterprise revenue.
- Defense Contract Implications: Major defense contractors like Lockheed Martin are expected to remove Anthropic's technology from their supply chains, which could lead to a decline in Anthropic's market share within the defense sector and adversely affect future revenue growth.
- Legal Response Possibility: Anthropic has indicated it may appeal the supply chain risk designation through legal channels, although no formal action has been taken yet; if the designation becomes official, it would restrict the use of Claude in defense contracts, potentially affecting its business with other clients.
- Market Reaction and Alternatives: Several defense tech firms are proactively transitioning their workforce away from Claude to other models, and while Anthropic's product is regarded as excellent, the reliance on it for defense contracts is now under scrutiny, posing challenges for its continued use in sensitive environments.
See More
- DoD Partnership Agreement: OpenAI's $200 million contract with the Department of Defense allows its models to be used in non-classified contexts, while the new arrangement enables deployment across classified networks, highlighting the company's significance in government projects.
- Operational Decision Constraints: CEO Sam Altman stated in an all-hands meeting that while the DoD respects OpenAI's technical expertise, operational decisions ultimately rest with the Secretary of Defense, raising employee concerns about the company's direction.
- Competitor Dynamics: Following OpenAI's agreement with the DoD, rival Anthropic was labeled a 'Supply-Chain Risk to National Security' and banned from using its technology, illustrating the intense competition and policy implications within the industry.
- Safety and Collaboration: Altman acknowledged that the partnership with the DoD appeared 'opportunistic and sloppy,' yet emphasized the agency's commitment to safety and willingness to collaborate with OpenAI, indicating potential ethical and security challenges the company may face in the future.
See More
- Employee Solidarity: Nearly 900 tech workers from Google and OpenAI signed an open letter demanding clear limits on military collaboration in response to U.S. strikes on Iran and sanctions against Anthropic, indicating rising discontent within the industry regarding government military partnerships.
- Support for Anthropic: Hundreds of tech workers signed another letter urging the Department of Defense to withdraw its 'supply chain risk' designation against Anthropic, emphasizing that American tech companies should not face retaliation for refusing government demands, reflecting strong opposition to governmental overreach.
- Google's Military Negotiations: Google is reportedly in talks with the Pentagon to deploy its AI model Gemini onto classified systems, raising employee concerns about the company's military collaborations, especially following past internal protests against similar projects, highlighting a growing demand for transparency.
- Historical Lessons and Principles: Google faced significant employee protests in 2018 over Project Maven, leading to the non-renewal of the contract and the establishment of 'AI Principles'; however, recent negotiations have raised questions about the relevance of these principles, particularly concerning human rights and ethical usage.
See More
- Performance Issues: Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.6 model experienced 'elevated errors' on Monday, yet it maintained its position as the most popular free app on Apple's App Store, indicating strong user demand despite technical challenges.
- Fix in Progress: An update at 10:49 AM ET confirmed that the issues with Opus 4.6 were identified and a fix was underway, reflecting the company's commitment to user experience and responsiveness.
- Pentagon Contract Tensions: The $200 million contract with the Pentagon, effective since July, has faced strain as Anthropic refused to comply with government demands regarding the use of its AI models, potentially jeopardizing future business relations.
- Government Ban: President Trump ordered all U.S. government agencies to 'immediately cease' using Anthropic's technology, with the Defense Secretary labeling the company a 'supply-chain risk to national security', which could significantly impact Anthropic's market position and future growth prospects.
See More
- Current Internet Blackout: Iran is experiencing a near-total internet blackout lasting over 48 hours amid ongoing conflict with the U.S. and Israel, with connectivity at just 1% of normal levels, severely impacting over 90 million citizens and highlighting the government's strict control over information flow.
- Historical Context: NetBlocks attributes this blackout to a 'regime-imposed' nationwide shutdown, reminiscent of a similar incident in January that lasted weeks and obscured severe human rights violations, indicating the government's tendency to employ such tactics during public protests to maintain control.
- Cyber Attack Threats: U.S. and Israeli cyberattacks have targeted Iranian internet infrastructure, with multiple government-aligned news websites hacked, and even the popular religious calendar app BadeSaba, with over 5 million downloads, compromised, indicating a psychological warfare strategy against the populace.
- Potential Cyber Retaliation: As Iran retaliates with strikes against U.S. and allied targets, analysts warn that Iranian-aligned groups may initiate cyber attacks, with CrowdStrike's head noting observed activities consistent with Iranian threat actors, suggesting that more aggressive cyber operations may be forthcoming.
See More









