Navy Puts X-Bow and Ursa Major on the Same Quad-Pack Interceptor Motor
Two awards in three days give the Navy two companies developing a motor for the medium-range variant of its planned Standard Missile successor, a four-per-cell interceptor.
Two awards in three days give the Navy two companies developing a motor for the medium-range variant of its planned Standard Missile successor, a four-per-cell interceptor.
X-Bow Systems won a prototype agreement worth up to $69.7 million to develop and qualify a solid rocket motor booster for a next-generation Navy weapon, the company announced Oct. 7. Two days earlier, Ursa Major disclosed $46 million for a motor for the same Naval Modular Missile medium-range variant.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did X-Bow Systems win?
A Navy prototype agreement with a total potential value of $69.7 million to develop and qualify a solid rocket motor booster, per X-Bow: a $50.4 million Phase 1 and a $19.3 million Phase 2 qualification option.
What did Ursa Major win?
Two Navy contracts totaling $137 million, according to Ursa Major: $91 million for a 7-inch Compact Air-to-Air Missile motor and $46 million for a 10-inch Naval Modular Missile medium-range motor.
What is the Naval Modular Missile?
A Navy missile family built on shared components that is meant to eventually replace SM-2, SM-3 and SM-6, Tectonic Defense wrote. The medium-range variant packs four interceptors into one Mk 41 launch cell.
How many motors could X-Bow build?
The agreement funds rate tooling for up to 500 motors a year at X-Bow's Luling, Texas, site, the company said.
When would the new missile reach the fleet?
The Navy plans to field an initial capability in early fiscal 2031, according to X-Bow.
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Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.