Raytheon and Anduril have successfully completed a static fire test of a solid rocket motor (SRM) using a Highly Loaded Grain (HLG) design that can enable air-to-air weapons to fly faster and farther.
The test, which validated the SRM’s performance, was conducted under a contract with the US Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate. However, specific technical details were not disclosed.
Anduril developed the HLG using technology from Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, while Raytheon provided technical expertise and oversight, producing a configuration the companies say “extended range and greater tactical advantage” for US and allied operators.
“Designing and firing a Highly Loaded Grain rocket motor is one of the most technically demanding tasks in the solid rocket motor industry,” said Anduril Senior VP LTG Neil Thurgood.
He added the trial “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.”
Aside from developing the HLG, Anduril opened its full-scale solid rocket motor production facility in McHenry, Mississippi, in August 2025.
Colin Whelan, president of Advanced Technology at Raytheon, framed the test as “more than just a technical achievement.”
Rather, it was about “building a more robust and adaptable supply base for solid rocket motors that can rapidly respond to emerging national security needs.”
