Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Aerojet Rocketdyne complete risk reduction efforts on key NGI propulsion tech

TUCSON, Ariz., (Dec. 2, 2021) — Raytheon Missiles & Defense, a Raytheon Technologies business, completed a demonstration to reduce risk to the overall technical baseline for the Next Generation Interceptor. The demonstration was an early engineering test of the thruster valve and nozzle on the liquid propellant divert and attitude control system (DACS) designed by Aerojet Rocketdyne. 

Raytheon is strategically partnered with Northrop Grumman on the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) program to rapidly design, develop and test an advanced interceptor solution to defend the nation against complex long-range threats.

“We know from experience the criticality of tackling the most challenging aspects of a payload program first,” said Scott Alexander, executive director, Integrated Missile Defense Solutions at Raytheon Missiles & Defense. “Early risk reduction work allows us to make data-informed design and testing decisions, and ultimately that’s going to help us get this critical capability to the nation as soon as possible.”

The test’s results will inform Aerojet Rocketdyne’s DACS design and ensure it is on a robust path for further risk reduction and development activities. Aerojet Rocketdyne has been a supplier for Raytheon Missiles & Defense across numerous missile defense programs for 20 years, jointly developing and providing the DACS for key systems deployed today.

Northrop Grumman and Raytheon Missiles & Defense currently provide the interceptor booster, kill vehicle, ground systems, fire control and engagement coordination for the country’s Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system. Aerojet Rocketdyne provides industry-leading kill vehicle and kinetic warhead propulsion to all of the MDA programs currently in production, including the GMD system.

“We’re proud to partner with the Northrop Grumman and Raytheon team on Next Generation Interceptor to enable the defense of our nation with DACS that are reliable and affordable,” said Eileen P. Drake, Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and president. “Aerojet Rocketdyne’s proven DACS has performed exceptionally on GMD system flight tests, and we are excited to build on our decades of missile defense experience with ground-breaking DACS technology and a highly skilled workforce.”

For more information on the team’s Next Generation Interceptor, click here.

The views expressed are those of Raytheon Technologies and do not constitute an endorsement by the MDA.

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About Raytheon Missiles & Defense

Raytheon Missiles & Defense brings global customers the most advanced end-to-end solutions delivering the advantage of one innovative partner to detect, track, and intercept threats. With a broad portfolio of air and missile defense systems, precision weapons, radars, command and control systems and advanced defense technologies Raytheon Missiles & Defense solutions protect citizens, warfighters and infrastructure in more than fifty countries around the world.