09 Oct 25. Pentagon’s 2027 missile drive signals US strategy reset. The Pentagon’s accelerated plan to boost missile and munitions production marks a “foundational reset” in United States defence strategy, according to analysis by Bloomberg Intelligence. The research suggests that missile procurement funding could rise by 30 percent or more if the Department of Defense moves ahead with plans to more than double production across 12 critical munitions programs. The Pentagon has reportedly tasked industry with achieving a 2.5-fold increase in output over the next two years to prepare for a potential high-intensity conflict with China by 2027. Bloomberg Intelligence stated that the shift reflects “a foundational reset in US munitions strategy”, with Lockheed Martin, RTX (formerly Raytheon Technologies), and Northrop Grumman positioned to benefit from what analysts describe as a “multiyear growth runway and a possible valuation rerating.” According to the analysis, the Pentagon’s Section 890 “TINA Lite” pilot programme will enable streamlined contracting for munitions deals over $50 m, reducing cost and pricing data requirements. The policy change, signed in July by Peter Guinto, Director of Price, Cost and Finance at the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, is intended to accelerate procurement cycles and expand industrial capacity. The report noted that the US may currently lack sufficient stockpiles of critical munitions to sustain a major conflict, citing gaps in missile production and supply chain resilience. It also identified Lockheed’s PAC-3 interceptors, JASSM, LRASM and PrSM, and RTX’s SM-6 and Tomahawk missiles as priority systems under the Pentagon’s new Munitions Acceleration Council, led by Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg. Bloomberg Intelligence calculated that incremental costs for the expansion could reach up to $9bn, on top of the $28.3 bn requested for fiscal 2026 missile and munitions procurement. Lockheed Martin’s missile and fire control business was highlighted as a major beneficiary, with projected production increases of up to 50 percent by 2027. RTX is also expected to gain from expanded SM-6 and Tomahawk output, while Northrop Grumman’s Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) and Stand-in Attack Weapon (SiAW) were identified as growth drivers amid international demand. Emerging entrants such as Anduril and the Prometheus Energetics joint venture between Kratos and Rafael are expected to play roles in alleviating solid rocket motor bottlenecks that have constrained production. Bloomberg Intelligence described the overall Pentagon initiative as a broad effort to rebuild munitions stockpiles and prepare US industry for sustained near-peer competition. (Source: UKDJ)
07 Oct 25. Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, and Anduril have successfully conducted a static fire test of an advanced solid rocket motor under a contract with the Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate. In response to the increasing global demand for munitions, Raytheon has been working with domestic and international partners to enhance U.S.-based rocket motor manufacturing capacity.
“This test demonstrates more than just a technical achievement,” said Colin Whelan, president of Advanced Technology at Raytheon. “It’s about building a more robust and adaptable supply base for solid rocket motors that can rapidly respond to emerging national security needs.”
By partnering with Anduril, Raytheon is expanding the defense technology ecosystem and addressing critical limitations in the rocket motor supply base. This collaboration exemplifies the company’s composable weapons strategy, which aims to create more flexible and adaptable missile systems through strategic partnerships.
“Designing and firing a Highly Loaded Grain rocket motor is one of the most technically demanding tasks in the solid rocket motor industry,” said LTG (ret.) Neil Thurgood, Senior Vice President, Anduril Industries. “Achieving this result highlights the strength of Anduril’s engineering team and demonstrates our ability to deliver high-performance propulsion solutions in a domain long defined by a small set of providers.”
(Source: PR Newswire)
03 Oct 25. Northrop Grumman tests longer-range anti-drone bullets after Ukraine feedback.
- Summary
- Northrop Grumman tests 50mm-plus cannon bullets
- Ukraine’s military wants longer-range bullets to shoot down drones
- Using bullets against drones is much cheaper than using missiles
- Fragmenting ammunition boosts anti-drone cannon effectiveness
U.S. defence firm Northrop Grumman (NOC.N) is testing higher calibre cannon bullets to shoot down drones at lower cost, based on feedback from Ukrainian soldiers who are increasingly facing swarms of high-flying unmanned aircraft, a top company executive told Reuters. Governments are keen for ways to defeat low-cost drones with equally low cost or cheaper interceptors. Currently the most cost-effective way is to shoot down a drone with a bullet, which costs pennies or dollars while many interceptor missiles, such as the Patriot, cost ms of dollars each. (Source: Reuters)