Anduril Industries will design, build and test second-stage rocket motors for the U.S. Navy’s anti-air and anti-surface interceptor missiles under a $19 million contract.
The company said Wednesday it will develop 21-inch diameter rocket motors for the second stage of a Standard Missile-6 variant, which could be used in fleet area air defense against hypersonic missile threats.
Neil Thurgood, senior vice president at Anduril, said the company will build on its advanced design, manufacturing and material science expertise to support the SM-6 program.
The contract, facilitated by the Navy’s Program Executive Office Integrated Weapons System, marks Anduril’s first public supply contract with the Department of Defense as a solid rocket motor supplier.
Anduril will produce and test the SM-6 motors at its office in Huntsville, Alabama, and at the Mississippi Solid Rocket Complex in McHenry, Mississippi.
Built by RTX‘s Raytheon subsidiary, the SM-6 is deployable on 60 surface ships and can defend against air, surface and hypersonic missile threats.