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DoD Greenlights Major Rocket Motor, Missile and Space Sensor Contracts as Services Finalize Modernization Plans

Recent awards to Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and Rocket Lab mark a shift from demonstrations to concrete contracts, accompanied by an Army initiative to expand air and missile defense forces under a forthcoming 2040 strategy.

U.S. Army Vessel (USAV) General Frank S. Besson (LSV-1) from the 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary), 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, XVIII Airborne Corps, departed Joint Base Langley-Eustis en route to the Eastern Mediterranean on March 9, 2024. (Photo: U.S Central Command)
Lt. Gen. Sean A. Gainey, commanding general, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command speaks to those in attendance at the 28th Annual Space and Missile Defense Symposium Aug. 5 in Huntsville Ala. (Photo: U.S. Army)
Pictured are U.S. Air Force personnel from the 9th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and 1st Reconnaissance Squadron as they work on a 9th Reconnaissance Wing two-seat TU-2S Dragon Lady on Aug. 1. The resulting flight logged more than 14 hours and over 6,000 nautical miles, the Air Force said (U.S. Air Force Photo)
A battery assigned to 1st Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment, display their patriot radar and antenna mast group during table gunnery training exercise on Kadena Air Base in Japan, Oct. 19, 2017. (U.S. Army Photo by Capt. Adan Cazarez)

Overview

  • The Navy selected Northrop Grumman’s design for the 21-inch Second Stage Rocket Motor with a contract award expected imminently.
  • Raytheon secured a $258.7 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for engineering, manufacturing and development of the SM-2 Block IIICU All Up Round.
  • Rocket Lab completed its $275 million acquisition of Geost, integrating electro-optical and infrared sensors into its space technology portfolio.
  • The Army will issue its 2040 air and missile defense strategy within three months and ramp up its AMD force by 30 percent over eight years, with initial brigade-level UAS procurements slated for fiscal year 2026.
  • The Air Force canceled three public town halls on the LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM and is preparing a supplemental environmental impact statement for the program.