Navy picks Northrop Grumman to develop a 21-inch second-stage rocket motor, $94.3M

Northrop Grumman/Solid rocket motor production ramp

The US Navy awarded Northrop $94.3 million to develop and qualify a new 21-inch second-stage solid rocket motor for its extended-range missiles, aimed at fast and hypersonic threats. Design and low-rate production of 60 units will happen at the new Propulsion Innovation Center in Elkton, Maryland. Northrop says it developed and demonstrated the motor in 10 months.

• $94.3M to develop and qualify a 21-inch second-stage solid rocket motor
• Low-rate initial production of 60 units at Elkton, Maryland
• Static-fire test on November 21, 2025, 10 months after development began
• Northrop reports more than one million solid rocket motors delivered to date