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Anduril Industries and Raytheon have successfully completed the static test firing of an advanced solid rocket motor as part of a contract with the US Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate.
Defence tech firm Anduril Industries and Raytheon (an RTX business) have successfully completed a static fire test of an advanced solid rocket motor (SRM) using a highly loaded grain (HLG) design, a step forward for propulsion in air-to-air weapon systems.
The live-fire trial, run in partnership with Raytheon’s Advanced Technology group and the Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate, validated the performance of a heavy-wall SRM built by Anduril in the HLG configuration.
The layout developed from technology at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake packs significantly more energetic propellant into the motor, raising specific impulse and overall motor performance.
These performance gains translate to longer weapon range and improved tactical options for US and allied air forces, the partners said.
Raytheon supplied technical expertise and test oversight throughout the development and firing phases.
“This test demonstrates more than just a technical achievement. It’s about building a more robust and adaptable supply base for solid rocket motors that can rapidly respond to emerging national security needs,” said Colin Whelan, president of Advanced Technology at Raytheon.
Anduril framed the test as part of a broader push to rebuild the US SRM industrial base. In August, the company opened a full-scale SRM production plant in Mississippi, backed by more than US$75 million in private investment. Anduril said the new facility will add scale, resilience and innovation to allied rocket-motor manufacturing.
Lieutenant General (Ret’d) Neil Thurgood, senior vice-president at Anduril, added, “Designing and firing a highly loaded grain rocket motor is one of the most technically demanding tasks in the solid rocket motor industry. Achieving this result highlights the strength of Anduril’s engineering team and our ability to deliver high-performance propulsion solutions in a field long dominated by a small number of suppliers.”
Raytheon described the collaboration as part of a wider effort to expand domestic and international manufacturing capacity for munitions. The partnership also feeds Raytheon’s “composable weapons” strategy, building more flexible, modular missile systems through industrial partnerships.
The successful static fire provides an important data point for both companies as they ready new motor designs for operational use and work to shore up supply chains for future munitions demand.
