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Defence contractor Raytheon has expanded its collaboration with Avio USA to fast-track production of the Mk 104 dual-thrust rocket motor, a key component of the Standard Missile program.
The companies have executed a purchase order worth up to US$26 million (AU$40 million) to fund continued engineering work, following on from an earlier contract signed 13 months ago. The new agreement will support progress through the critical design review stage, secure long-lead materials for qualification, and accelerate capacity for solid rocket motor manufacturing.
Barbara Borgonovi, president of naval power at Raytheon, said the deal would strengthen supply chain resilience while ensuring customer demand is met.
“This purchase order represents an important step in expanding our supply chain to ensure the resilience and availability of the Mk 104 rocket motor,” she said. “By strategically implementing second sourcing for critical materials, we are not only enhancing our ability to meet customer demand but also strengthening production capacity for the Standard Missile franchise.”
The order builds on earlier milestones, with the two firms having already completed both the system requirements review and preliminary design review, laying the groundwork for full-scale development and production.
Avio USA chief executive US Vice Admiral (Ret’d) James Syring said the partnership was vital for US and allied capability.
“We are proud to continue our work on Mk 104, which is so critical to the United States and our allies,” he said. “We look forward to advancing the motor through full qualification and into production in the future.”
Giulio Ranzo, CEO of Avio SpA, said the Italian parent company would continue to back the project with expertise in rocket motor engineering, testing and integration.
