The Department of War on Friday awarded $39.6 million to three companies to expand U.S. solid rocket motor production.
The contracts, funded through the Defense Production Act, are intended to shore up munitions supply chains amid concerns about U.S. reliance on foreign materials for critical defense components. As global tensions rise, military planners worry about potential shortfalls in rocket motor supplies.
Ohio-based Materials Resources LLC secured the largest award at $25.2 million to develop prototype production of rocket motor cases using 3D printing technology.
New Jersey’s ICF Mercantile LLC received $9.3 million to establish the first U.S. production source of rayon filament, a key material for rocket and reentry vehicle heat shields. The firm’s environmentally friendly ionic liquid technology will expand domestic capacity and lower costs.
Virginia’s SPARC Research LLC was awarded $5.1 million to manufacture rocket motor components supporting high-performance propulsion systems.
“These strategic investments in our solid rocket motor industrial base are crucial to ensuring the Department of War continues to have access to the munition propulsion systems required for our national security,” said Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey.
The latest awards bring total solid rocket motor expenditures to $53.9 million under a recent Defense Industrial Base Consortium agreement. Since fiscal year 2025 began, the Pentagon has committed $777.1 million across 14 industrial base projects, with private companies contributing an additional $88 million in cost-sharing arrangements.
The Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy oversees the program. Officials emphasize the need for “robust, secure, and resilient” domestic manufacturing to support military readiness.