L3Harris Technologies [LHX] on Monday said its Aerojet Rocketdyne company has signed a 10-year agreement with the Navy to increase production of solid rocket motors (SRMs) for national defense programs.
The company said the agreement creates a public-private partnership, allowing the Naval Surface Warfare Center’s Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD) in Maryland to “become a qualified partner with Aerojet Rocketdyne to perform certain motor manufacturing processes” to increase SRM production amid surging demand for missile systems.
“This agreement offers a reliable supply chain solution to our nation’s solid rocket motor production needs,” Ross Niebergall, president of Aerojet Rocketdyne, said in a statement. “Working in coordination with our government partners, we’re increasing our production capability to meet today’s growing demand and to prepare for any surge in support of near peer conflicts.”
Capt. Steve Duba, the commanding officer of NSWC IHD, said that the partnership will help “meet the Navy’s demand signal.”
Ukraine’s nearly two-year-old war against Russia has highlighted supply chain constraints in the defense industrial base, particularly for missiles and munitions. SRM’s are used to power missiles. Currently L3Harris and Northrop Grumman
[NOC] are the two primary U.S. suppliers of SRMs for missiles and the supply chain challenges extend to the sub-tier companies that provide components for these motors.
The Indian Head Division is the Navy’s Manufacturing Technology Center for Energetics and has expertise in explosive modeling, life-cycle management of cartridge actuated and propellant actuated devices for the military services, design and development for underwater warheads and explosives, and explosive ordnance disposal.
“NSWC IHD is the Navy’s Arsenal, and as such, has a rich history of advancing state of the art and providing comparative advantage to naval munitions and naval warfighting capability,” Ashley Johnson, technical director of the division, said in a statement. “This partnership will only bolster that capability through the production of solid rocket motors.”