Silicon Valley-backed startup unveils cheap, mass-producible cruise missile
US defense startup Covenant has unveiled a long-range cruise missile called Anthem, designed for cheap mass production to challenge established arms manufacturers. The company has already secured about $150 million in orders.
Defense technology startup Covenant, backed by several prominent Silicon Valley investors, unveiled its new cruise missile Anthem on September 9. After two years of development, the company says the missile can be manufactured at scale for significantly lower costs than comparable weapons from traditional defense giants.
Anthem is a ground-launched cruise missile carrying a warhead weighing more than 200 kilograms. It is intended to be used alongside other established long-range missiles such as the Tomahawk and the JASSM-ER. The missile uses a solid-fuel rocket motor for launch and a jet engine for cruising flight, and has completed more than 200 test flights over the past year.
Built with the Pacific in mind
Company leaders said the missile was specifically designed with a potential conflict with China in mind, allowing ground-based launchers on allied territory, such as the Philippines, to strike targets up to 3,200 kilometers away without relying on manned aircraft or naval strike groups.
Covenant was founded in 2024 and has raised just over $250 million from investors including Andreessen Horowitz and other funds. The company employs more than 200 people across the United States, Germany and Israel. Its goal is to bring the full-rate production cost of each missile down to a few hundred thousand dollars.
Production and deliveries
The company has already secured roughly $150 million worth of orders and expects revenue to ramp up starting in 2027. An international customer is set to begin receiving missiles from the German factory by the end of this year, while deliveries to the US Army are planned for 2027.
A new factory in Dallas was opened on Wednesday, with full capacity expected to reach 5,000 missiles per year. A similarly sized plant operates in Saxony, Germany, while a smaller facility in northern Israel will be able to produce 2,000 units annually. To avoid relying on a single supplier, the company works with multiple engine manufacturers.
