U.S. company Northrop Grumman will develop and manufacture solid fuel ramjet propulsion for missile prototypes under the U.S. Army’s eXtended Range Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (XRC) program.
The contract with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Aviation & Missile Center is valued at $18.8 million.
A solid fuel ramjet uses atmospheric oxygen as the oxidizer for the fuel during flight. Unlike solid rocket motors, which require their own oxidizer, this design frees up internal volume for additional fuel. According to Northrop Grumman, this enables a more efficient propulsion system with greater range and energy.
As part of the program, the company will conduct a comprehensive ground and flight test campaign to validate the design and production processes. The resulting design is intended to support scalable and cost-effective manufacturing.
The XRC program is aimed at enhancing the capabilities of the Maneuver Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) system, which is designed to protect maneuvering forces from low-altitude aerial threats. Compatibility with the Stinger Vehicle Universal Launcher also enables the system to be used against unmanned aerial systems as well as traditional fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft.
The development under the contract will be carried out at Northrop Grumman’s Allegany Ballistics Laboratory in West Virginia, which specializes in propulsion systems and energetics.
Northrop Grumman is also developing other components of the U.S. counter-UAS system. The company is the prime contractor for the Forward Area Air Defense Command and Control (FAAD C2) system, while its AI-powered AiON system is designed to manage multiple sensors and counter mass drone attacks.
In addition, the company is developing Raid Hunter, a 50 mm gun-based air defense system designed to counter mass, mixed air raids.
