Northrop Grumman has secured a $94.3 million contract from the U.S. Navy to develop a new solid rocket motor to support extended-range missile programs. The award matters as the Navy accelerates efforts to counter fast-moving air, surface, and hypersonic threats.
The contract covers the development and qualification of a 21-inch diameter second-stage solid rocket motor for future Navy missile systems. Northrop Grumman will carry out design, testing, and low-rate initial production of 60 units at its Propulsion Innovation Center in Elkton, Maryland, as the Navy evaluates options for wider deployment across multiple platforms.
The high-performance motor is designed to significantly increase missile range and speed while maintaining a low-risk, rapidly developed architecture. This propulsion upgrade acts as a bolt in the Navy’s extended-range defense strategy, supporting missions from air and surface warfare to land strike and ballistic missile defense.
