Anduril Industries, a company based in Washington, announced on Friday that it has been chosen by the U.S. Army to develop a new 4.75-inch solid rocket motor for long-range precision rocket artillery missions. The demand for rocket motors is increasing globally due to conflicts in regions like Ukraine and the Middle East. Many armed forces are recognizing the need for more rockets and missiles in future conflicts, as part of a new war strategy known as “affordable mass,” which emphasizes the high volume of firepower required.
The new solid rocket motor aims to enable the loading of up to 30 guided rockets into a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) pod, a system heavily utilized in Ukraine. Currently, a HIMARS launch pod can carry either 6 GMLRS rockets or 1 ATACMS rocket. Anduril will be fabricating and testing rocket motors using both traditional aluminized propellant and its proprietary ALITEC fuel. The company believes that its ALITEC propellant will enhance rocket motor performance, extend range, and reduce size, weight, and power requirements.
To support this project, Anduril has received a recent $14.3 million Defense Production Act award and has invested $75 million in the endeavor.
