Key milestone for the rapid development of affordable,
long-range precision munitions
TUCSON,
Ariz., Dec. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon,
an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, and Ursa Major announced its
advanced long-range solid rocket motor completed a successful
missile flight test for the U.S. Army. The companies' combined
experience and expertise in digital engineering was a critical
factor in accelerating the design and development of this
transformational capability.
"These long-range solid rocket motors will allow the U.S. Army
and allies to strike farther and faster than anything our
adversaries have in their arsenals," said Tom Laliberty, president of Land and Air Defense
Systems at Raytheon. "This long-range rocket motor technology fills
the essential role of providing affordable precision fires, while
increasing range, safety, and magazine depth."
Raytheon and Ursa Major's technical approach composes
innovative, low-cost component technologies to deliver a new
generation of smart munitions for the U.S. Army that are
significantly more affordable than currently fielded systems.
"The Ursa Major team has utilized additive manufacturing to
complete motor development, manufacturing, and testing in
unprecedented timelines, resulting in nearly 300 static test fires
this year," said Ursa Major CEO Dan
Jablonsky. "The innovative manufacturing techniques we
employ are yielding agile solid rocket motor solutions with the
design flexibility needed to expand the capabilities of the U.S.
military. Ursa Major is poised to scale the production of
higher-performing solid rocket motors at the pace and volume the
country requires and at a price the country can afford."
Raytheon has selected Ursa Major's advanced propulsion
technology as a key enabler to provide affordable solutions for the
U.S. Army at extended ranges. During the next phase of the program,
Raytheon and Ursa Major will incorporate manufacturing
improvements, leading toward additional flight tests in 2025 and
qualification in 2026.
In 2023, RTX Ventures invested in Ursa Major to explore new
rocket motor technologies and help address this national security
requirement. Together, Raytheon and Ursa Major are responding to
the U.S. Army's urgent need for affordable precision-guided
munitions by rapidly developing a new generation of smart
munitions, via investments in rocket motor development and testing
to prove design stability and maturity.
About Raytheon
Raytheon, an RTX business, is a leading provider of defense
solutions to help the U.S. government, our allies and partners
defend their national sovereignty and ensure their security. For
more than 100 years, Raytheon has developed new technologies and
enhanced existing capabilities in integrated air and missile
defense, smart weapons, missiles, advanced sensors and radars,
interceptors, space-based systems, hypersonics and missile defense
across land, air, sea and space.
About RTX
With more than 185,000 global employees, RTX pushes the limits of
technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our
world. Through industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace,
Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon – we are advancing aviation,
engineering integrated defense systems, and developing
next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help
global customers address their most critical challenges. The
company, with 2023 sales of $69
billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.
For questions or to schedule an interview, please
contact corporatepr@rtx.com
About Ursa Major
Ursa Major is America's leading
privately funded company focusing solely on rocket propulsion,
bringing high-performance, staged combustion liquid engines to
market for space, launch, and hypersonic uses while deploying a
novel manufacturing process to scale solid rocket motor production.
Ursa Major customers, ranging from commercial space launch
providers to enterprise-level aerospace and defense leaders as well
as the U.S. government, get to flight faster, more reliably and
cost-effectively. The company employs the most sought-after
engineers from top aerospace programs and universities.
Headquartered in Berthoud,
Colorado, with additive manufacturing facilities in
Youngstown, Ohio, Ursa Major was
named one of the best places to work by Built in Colorado three years in a row. For more
information, visit www.ursamajor.com.
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SOURCE RTX