X-Bow Systems Gains Certification For Rocket Motor Production
X-Bow Systems said on Wednesday it secured certification for end-to-end production operations covering two manufacturing systems at its Texas facility. The milestone marks progress in a Pentagon-backed effort to expand solid rocket motor supply chains in the United States.
The Pentagon has pushed to increase the number of suppliers beyond dominant manufacturers Northrop Grumman and L3Harris Technologies. Demand for missiles has surged because of conflicts involving Ukraine, Israel and Iran. Consequently, US defence officials have sought to replenish missile inventories and strengthen manufacturing capacity.
RE-ARM Partnership Supports Expansion
The Albuquerque, New Mexico-based company said it achieved the certification milestone through its partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Rapid Energetics & Advanced Rocket Manufacturing programme, known as RE-ARM. The programme operates under a contract focused on developing and demonstrating X-Bow’s patented solid propellant manufacturing technology.
Moreover, the certification covers two separate production systems. The first is a fixed industrial-scale propellant manufacturing facility. The second is a portable and containerised manufacturing unit designed for rapid deployment and duplication across multiple locations.
The company said the systems support flexible and scalable production, which aligns with Pentagon efforts to accelerate weapons manufacturing capabilities.
Pentagon Seeks More Rocket Motor Suppliers
X-Bow, pronounced cross bow, has emerged as one of several start-ups attempting to address gaps in the US solid rocket motor market. Previously, the company received a Navy contract to develop and test solid fuel rocket engines for the Standard Missile programme.
That contract formed part of a wider series of Navy prototype agreements intended to broaden the pool of rocket motor suppliers. As a result, defence officials hope to reduce reliance on a limited number of major manufacturers.
Wednesday’s certification milestone signals that X-Bow’s manufacturing operations are progressing beyond the development phase. The company is now moving closer to large-scale production capacity that the Pentagon increasingly considers essential.
Company Targets Large-Scale Production
“Our vision for production is a few million pounds of solid propellant per year, with options to significantly increase that as we scale to meet national needs,” founder and chief executive Jason Hundley said in a statement.
In addition, Dr Javier Urzay, chief of the Rocket and Space Propulsion Division at the Air Force Research Laboratory, highlighted the programme’s strategic importance.
“The RE-ARM programme is forging advanced technologies for rapid, affordable, flexible, and scalable manufacturing of solid rocket motors in support of national defence,” Urzay said.
X-Bow is backed by investors including Lockheed Martin Ventures and Boeing.
With inputs from Reuters