Northrop Grumman will develop next-generation air-breathing propulsion for the US Army, with the hope of significantly enhancing the range and air defence capabilities of the Army's eXtended Range Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (XRC).
Northrop Grumman will develop and integrate solid fuel ramjet propulsion technology for integration into XRC missile prototypes under this US $18.8 million (approx. A $27 million) contract with the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center.
Unlike solid rocket motors, which utilise propellant containing fuel and a chemical oxidizer, solid fuel ramjets use atmospheric oxygen as the oxidizer for the fuel during flight, freeing internal volume for additional fuel.
The result, the company claims, is a more efficient propulsion system that delivers greater range and energy, enabling engagement of highly manoeuvrable aerial threats at safer distances from protected forces.
The development will include a comprehensive ground and flight test campaign to validate the design and production processes. The resulting design will support scalable, cost-effective manufacturing to meet urgent defence requirements quickly.
“The rapid evolution of unmanned aerial threats demands innovative solutions. By aligning the Army's vision for next-generation air defense with our advanced propulsion expertise, we're delivering capability that engages targets farther away, protects mobile forces and strengthens layered defense against emerging aerial threats," Northrop Grumman, missile products, vice president, Erik Buice, said.
Development for the XRC program will be conducted at Allegany Ballistics Laboratory in West Virginia, a Northrop Grumman-operated facility specialising in advanced propulsion systems and energetics.
The XRC program focuses on enhancing the performance of the Army’s Maneuver Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) system — designed to protect manoeuvring forces from low-altitude aerial threats.
Additionally, the system’s compatibility with the Stinger Vehicle Universal Launcher improves defence against advanced unmanned aerial systems as well as traditional fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, Northrop Grumman claims.
Northrop Grumman’s involvement in the Army’s broader counter-UAS ecosystem also includes providing the foundational command-and-control network, kinetic options and propulsion expertise leveraged by advanced interceptor systems.
The company is a prime contractor for the Forward Area Air Defense Command and Control (FAAD C2) system — the Army’s official short-range air defence program of record.
Additionally, the company’s AI-driven AiON command system supports managing multiple sensors and engaging mass drone swarms.
Northrop Grumman is also advancing Raid Hunter, the 50mm Gun-Based Air Defense system designed to defeat mass, mixed air raids and enhance protection of maneouvre forces and critical infrastructure within a layered CUAS defence framework.