A Virginia-based company is set to develop next-generation air-breathing propulsion for the U.S. Army. With this, Northrop Grumman aims to address the evolving challenges of detecting and defeating unmanned aerial systems at extended ranges.
The company will develop and integrate solid fuel ramjet propulsion technology for integration into XRC missile prototypes under this $18.8 million contract with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center.
Evolution of unmanned aerial threats demands innovative solutions
“The rapid evolution of unmanned aerial threats demands innovativesolutions,” said Erik Buice, vice president, missile products, Northrop Grumman.
“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.”
Unlike solid rocket motors, which utilize propellant containing fuel and a chemical oxidizer, solid fuelramjetsuse atmospheric oxygen as the oxidizer for the fuel during flight, freeing internal volume for additional fuel.
The result is a more efficient propulsion system that delivers greater range and energy, enabling engagement of highly maneuverable 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 defense requirements quickly.
The XRC program focuses on enhancing the performance of the Army’s Maneuver Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) system — designed to protect maneuvering forces from low-altitude aerial threats. Additionally, the system’s compatibility with the Stinger Vehicle Universal Launcher improves defense against advanced unmanned aerial systems as well as traditional fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft,according toa press release.
Flight test campaign to validate design and production processes
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 defense requirements quickly.
With adversaries increasingly deploying sophisticated unmanned systems, the XRC program’s extended-range capabilities is a vital element within the Army’s layered air defense strategy. Northrop Grumman’s deep 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, as per the release.
The company also revealed that it’s advancing Raid Hunter, the 50mm Gun-Based Air Defense system delivering a cost-effective, high-engagement-capacity solution designed to defeat mass, mixed air raids and enhance protection of maneuver forces and critical infrastructure within a layered CUAS defense framework.
More from Military
See AllMilitaryUS Navy selects America’s biggest shipbuilder for 10 ROMULUS autonomous surface vesselsMilitaryCVN 79: Second boat of 100,000-ton Ford class nuclear powered carrier is 99% completeMilitaryBoeing to build US Navy’s new 6th-gen fighter jet to replace Super Hornet fleetMilitary1,500-mph F-16 gets drop-in one-box system to spot friend from foe in combat fasterMilitary$21.2m program to build strongest 3D-woven carbon-carbon shields for hypersonic fleetRaid Hunter combines proven Chain Gun® technology, precision‑guided 50mm ammunition and a networked, interoperable system controller to deliver powerful protection against high-volume, mixed-threat aerial raids. It is designed to defeat a range of aerial threats including high‑priority cruise missile threats, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), and other advanced threats.
Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.
By subscribing, you agree to our
Terms of Useand
PoliciesYou may unsubscribe at any time.
0
COMMENT
Subscribe to
Today!
Access to exclusive content, expert insights and a deeper dive into engineering and tech. No ads, no limits.
Explore Now!By
Prabhat Ranjan MishraPrabhat, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, is a tech and defense journalist. While he enjoys writing on modern weapons and emerging tech, he has also reported on global politics and business. He has been previously associated with well-known media houses, including the International Business Times (Singapore Edition) and ANI.
- 1First 300 MW advanced small modular nuclear reactor approved for construction in US
- 2New dry-cathode tech eliminates 'traffic jams' in thick lithium-ion EV batteries
- 3Boeing to build US Navy's new 6th-gen fighter jet to replace Super Hornet fleet
- 4Chinese tokamak achieves hydrogen-boron fusion with 100 million reactions a second
- 5Texas A&M students build 50-pound drone that lifts 110 pounds
A Virginia-based company is set to develop next-generation air-breathing propulsion for the U.S. Army. With this, Northrop Grumman aims to address the evolving challenges of detecting and defeating unmanned aerial systems at extended ranges.
The company will develop and integrate solid fuel ramjet propulsion technology for integration into XRC missile prototypes under this $18.8 million contract with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center.
Evolution of unmanned aerial threats demands innovative solutions
“The rapid evolution of unmanned aerial threats demands innovativesolutions,” said Erik Buice, vice president, missile products, Northrop Grumman.
“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.”
Unlike solid rocket motors, which utilize propellant containing fuel and a chemical oxidizer, solid fuelramjetsuse atmospheric oxygen as the oxidizer for the fuel during flight, freeing internal volume for additional fuel.
The result is a more efficient propulsion system that delivers greater range and energy, enabling engagement of highly maneuverable 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 defense requirements quickly.
The XRC program focuses on enhancing the performance of the Army’s Maneuver Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) system — designed to protect maneuvering forces from low-altitude aerial threats. Additionally, the system’s compatibility with the Stinger Vehicle Universal Launcher improves defense against advanced unmanned aerial systems as well as traditional fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft,according toa press release.
Flight test campaign to validate design and production processes
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 defense requirements quickly.
With adversaries increasingly deploying sophisticated unmanned systems, the XRC program’s extended-range capabilities is a vital element within the Army’s layered air defense strategy. Northrop Grumman’s deep 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, as per the release.
The company also revealed that it’s advancing Raid Hunter, the 50mm Gun-Based Air Defense system delivering a cost-effective, high-engagement-capacity solution designed to defeat mass, mixed air raids and enhance protection of maneuver forces and critical infrastructure within a layered CUAS defense framework.
More from Military
See AllMilitaryUS Navy selects America’s biggest shipbuilder for 10 ROMULUS autonomous surface vesselsMilitaryCVN 79: Second boat of 100,000-ton Ford class nuclear powered carrier is 99% completeMilitaryBoeing to build US Navy’s new 6th-gen fighter jet to replace Super Hornet fleetMilitary1,500-mph F-16 gets drop-in one-box system to spot friend from foe in combat fasterMilitary$21.2m program to build strongest 3D-woven carbon-carbon shields for hypersonic fleetRaid Hunter combines proven Chain Gun® technology, precision‑guided 50mm ammunition and a networked, interoperable system controller to deliver powerful protection against high-volume, mixed-threat aerial raids. It is designed to defeat a range of aerial threats including high‑priority cruise missile threats, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), and other advanced threats.
Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.
By subscribing, you agree to our
Terms of Useand
PoliciesYou may unsubscribe at any time.
0
COMMENT
Subscribe to
Today!
Access to exclusive content, expert insights and a deeper dive into engineering and tech. No ads, no limits.
Explore Now!By
Prabhat Ranjan MishraPrabhat, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, is a tech and defense journalist. While he enjoys writing on modern weapons and emerging tech, he has also reported on global politics and business. He has been previously associated with well-known media houses, including the International Business Times (Singapore Edition) and ANI.
- 1First 300 MW advanced small modular nuclear reactor approved for construction in US
- 2New dry-cathode tech eliminates 'traffic jams' in thick lithium-ion EV batteries
- 3Boeing to build US Navy's new 6th-gen fighter jet to replace Super Hornet fleet
- 4Chinese tokamak achieves hydrogen-boron fusion with 100 million reactions a second
- 5Texas A&M students build 50-pound drone that lifts 110 pounds
