Northrop Grumman Chosen by US Navy for Next Phase of Solid Rocket Motor Development

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has secured a substantial $94.3 million contract from the U.S. Navy to innovate and qualify a new 21-inch diameter second-stage solid rocket motor (SSRM). This development aims to enhance the Navy’s extended-range missile capabilities, enabling effective deterrence against rapidly advancing air, surface, and hypersonic threats.

• The SSRM features a low-risk and efficiently developed design, allowing the Navy to swiftly and cost-effectively implement an extended-range hypersonic defense capability.
• Engineered for high performance, the 21” diameter rocket motor is designed to significantly enhance range and speed, making it suitable for air warfare, surface warfare, land strike, and ballistic missile defense missions.
• The Navy has shown keen interest in the potential deployment of Northrop Grumman’s advanced propulsion technology across multiple platforms.
• The ongoing design and low-rate initial production of 60 units for testing and delivery will occur at Northrop Grumman’s Propulsion Innovation Center in Elkton, Maryland.

Expert Insight:

According to Gordon LoPresti, Senior Director of Propulsion Systems and Control at Northrop Grumman: “Being selected by the U.S. Navy is both an honor and a testament to our rapid development capabilities, production capacity, and leadership in advanced propulsion solutions. The successful development and demonstration of our SSRM in just 10 months highlights our unique, affordable, and versatile extended-range capabilities, positioning the U.S. Navy to excel in its defense and deterrence missions. We are fully prepared to quickly qualify and manufacture these motors to meet U.S. needs.”

Key Developments:

As a leading propulsion provider, Northrop Grumman emphasizes investing in facilities and technologies to ensure affordable, large-scale production of advanced weapons and solid rocket motors. Since 2018, the company has invested nearly $1 billion to bolster capacities for missile components, including solid rocket motors. With a proven track record and over one million solid rocket motors delivered, Northrop Grumman remains a trusted source for SRMs and propulsion systems critical for defense, payload delivery, and space exploration.

Northrop Grumman is committed to delivering advanced propulsion solutions and solid rocket motors at scale, while continually expanding capacity to meet increasing customer demands and support a robust defense industrial base. Propulsion operations are conducted across six key locations in West Virginia, Utah, and Maryland, with a total manufacturing space of 10 million square feet. The company is tripling production capacity for small tactical SRMs in West Virginia, doubling large SRMs in Utah, and increasing manufacturing capacity in Maryland by 25% to support future high-demand initiatives, including air-breathing hypersonic propulsion technologies.

As a leading global aerospace and defense technology firm, Northrop Grumman provides pioneering solutions that empower customers to connect and protect the world while pushing the limits of human exploration across the universe. Motivated by a mission to address our customers’ most pressing challenges, our team consistently redefines what is possible.