Raytheon and Ursa Major conduct successful missile flight test

Raytheon, an aerospace and defense company under the RTX umbrella, and Ursa Major, a propulsion company, have successfully completed an advanced long-range solid rocket motor missile flight test for the US Army. The companies’ combined experience and expertise in digital engineering – including 3D printing – was a critical factor in accelerating the design and development of this transformational capability.

“These long-range solid rocket motors will allow the US 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 comprises innovative, low-cost component technologies to deliver a new generation of smart munitions for the US 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 Dan Jablonsky, CEO of Ursa Major. “The innovative manufacturing techniques we employ are yielding agile solid rocket motor solutions with the design flexibility needed to expand the capabilities of the US 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 US Army at extended ranges. During the next phase of the program, Raytheon and Ursa Major will incorporate manufacturing improvements – leading to 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 US 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.