The technology is intended to move post-manufactured solid rocket motors away from traditional single-use designs. Raytheon said the approach would enable a composable motor that can meet multiple mission needs by adjusting thrust on demand.
The award follows a seven-month phase one effort in which Raytheon and Northrop Grumman demonstrated the feasibility of the new propulsion approach. The companies said the work was completed on an accelerated schedule.
The technology is designed to support a broader range of missions and weapon systems. It would give the military more options from a common, single-use motor design.
Under phase two, Raytheon’s Advanced Technology team will further mature and scale the solution. The effort will be followed by demonstrations to show how the technology performs in increasingly realistic rocket motor configurations.
“Solid rocket motor production has become a critical bottleneck for many missile programs,” said Colin Whelan, president of Advanced Technology at Raytheon.
“By pursuing a composable approach to how these motors are designed and built, we’re helping lay the groundwork for faster, more adaptable munitions production across multiple mission sets,” Whelan said.
Raytheon is serving as prime contractor for the phase two award. The company is partnering with Northrop Grumman’s Allegany Ballistic Laboratory, which has experience in solid rocket motor design and manufacturing.
The team also includes Luna Innovations. Raytheon said Luna will contribute novel material development capabilities to support DARPA’s goal of more flexible and scalable missile propulsion.
Raytheon said the work supports its broader composable weapons strategy. That strategy focuses on reducing cycle time, lowering costs and accelerating missile development.
