Anduril Industries achieved a significant milestone last month with two successful live-fire tests of its 21-inch hypersonic rocket motor for the U.S. Navy’s STANDARD Missile Program. This 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.
The 21 inch hypersonic rocket motor is being developed for the US Navy’s Standard Missile-6 (SM-6). SM-6 is a highly-versatile missile for defeating air, surface, and hypersonic missile threats that is deployable on 60 surface ships. The Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) Block IB is an upgrade of the SM-6 BLK IAU, which provides long-range fires capability by implementing improved software and replacing the existing Mk 104 Dual-Thrust Rocket Motor (DTRM) with a new 21-inch rocket motor to extend the range. The SM-6 BLK IB delivers to the Navy and Joint Force a transformative multi-domain, multi-mission offensive hypersonic kinetic capability. Low rate production of the SM-6 Block IB began in FY2024. A milestone B decision expected at the end of 2025. The hypersonic missile is expected to reach initial operational capability in FY2026. Raytheon (RTX) is the prime contractor for the program. The SM-6 missile costs about $4-5 million each.
Anduril has invested more than $75 million in expanding and modernizing its solid rocket motor (SRM) factory in Mississippi.
Anduril designs & produces solid rocket motors (SRMs) to power defense and space launch systems. With more than 450 acres of production facilities, Anduril can produce thousands of SRMs per year.
In addition to traditional composite rocket propellant, Anduril also develops propellants containing ALITEC, a proprietary aluminum-lithium alloy fuel that enhances solid rocket motor performance.
Anduril has worked with customers to design and produce bespoke SRMs up to 110 inches long and 42 inches in diameter.
Anduril SRMs support a variety of mission applications, ranging across Rocket Assisted Take-Off, Air-to-Air, Air-to-Ground, Surface-to-Surface, Surface-to-Air, Hypersonic Boosters, Missile Defense, and Man-Portable Tactical Systems.
Anduril manufactures ALITEC, a proprietary aluminum-lithium alloy fuel that can be integrated into propellant to enhance solid rocket motor performance by enabling extended range, faster speed to target, and expanded payload capacity when compared to conventional aluminum fueled motors.
Traditional SRM manufacturers rely on batch processing, a rigid approach which results in underutilization and is subject to disruption, Anduril’s single-piece flow production paradigm eliminates inefficiencies by allowing multiple stages of production to run simultaneously. Each station is specialized, always operating, and fully tooled, enabling a continuous, consistent output of SRMs to help meet growing demand.
US Army Buying Smaller 4.75 Inch Solid Rocket Motors
The U.S. Army has chosen Anduril Rocket Motor Systems to develop a new 4.75-inch solid rocket motor for long-range precision rocket artillery. The 4.75-inch size potentially allows for up to 30 guided rockets to be configured in a single High Mobility Artillery Rocket System pod.
Denali
Denali is a high-performance 18-inch solid rocket booster designed to advance hypersonic capabilities at a fraction of the cost of existing systems.
Denali takes advantage of Anduril’s improved single-piece-flow manufacturing paradigm, enabled by proprietary technologies like bladeless speedmixing, to deliver large volumes at dramatically reduced cost.
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
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Sounds like they’re using continuous Resonant Acoustic Mixing from Resodyn. RAM is cool tech, so useful.
According to my copy of Rocket Propulsion Elements, by Sutton, (Essential for any rocket nerd!) inclusion of light metal powder in solid rocket fuel is pretty much standard. Indeed, the solid fuel boosters on the Shuttle incorporated powdered aluminum. What’s so hot about this particular blend?
Anyway, what distinguishes a “hypersonic solid rocket motor” from any ordinary rocket motor?
All carping aside, good for them!
I love this company. I’ve being a Palmer fan back when he ran Oculus. I’m glad he took his windfall and started a defense company…no small feat. The giants of yester year (Boeing, Lockheed, Raytheon, etc) have turned into laggards. Cost+ contracts, which are over budget &/or behind schedule over 90% of the time.
Anduril couldn’t have come at a better time, THEY will equip our troops with an AR helmet infused with their Lattice software, that would make Microsoft’s smooth brain explode.