Defense technology startup Anduril has become the third U.S. supplier of solid rocket motors, breaking into a market dominated by two defense primes, the company announced on Tuesday.
Anduril is one of a few new entrants eyeing the solid rocket motor business after demand has skyrocketed during the Russia-Ukraine war and conflict in the Middle East. For decades, only two domestic suppliers have produced SRMs: Aerojet Rocketdyne, which was bought by L3Harris, and Northrop Grumman.
The eight-year-old company has opened a full-rate production facility in McHenry, Mississippi, where it plans to pump out 6,000 motors annually by the end of 2026. The team has test-fired more than 700 motors since January 2024, the company said.
In their press release, Anduril critiqued the processes of current SRM builders, arguing that “decades-old” ways are too slow for modern warfare.
“We are getting the same suboptimal results in part because we are relying on the same suboptimal blueprint,” they said.
The company touted a streamlined design process that will reduce production time, and said that their custom aluminum-lithium alloy fuel blend will be able to increase missile range by 40 percent.
In March, the Army picked Anduril to build a new 4.75-inch SRM for its long-range precision rocket artillery. That size will allow 30 guided rockets to launch from a single HIMARS pod, according to Anduril.
The company has also live-fire tested a 21-inch hypersonic rocket motor for the Navy’s Standard Missile program. “The rapid and iterative design phase, which was completed in close collaboration with the Navy, positions Anduril to quickly transition to full scale production of this vital capability,” they said.
Anduril entered the SRM scene in 2023 after acquiring Adranos, a small SRM firm, in a somewhat surprising move for the company, which has been known for its artificial intelligence products. Since then, Anduril has been expanding its reach into weapons production, eyeing defense-prime-status, and says it can bring its experience in automation to the manufacturing process.
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