Aerojet Rocketdyne will support Northrop Grumman, which was recently awarded a contract by the U.S. Air Force for the Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction (TMRR) phase of the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) acquisition program.
The GBSD program aims to develop a replacement for the current Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) system that was first deployed in the 1970s.
"Aerojet Rocketdyne propulsion systems have flown on every U.S. ICBM ever fielded," said Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and President Eileen Drake.
"Propulsion is our core business. We are advancing technologies for a variety of applications and will offer those that best meet GBSD requirements for performance and affordability."
Aerojet Rocketdyne long supported Northrop Grumman as the prime contractor in charge of sustaining Minuteman III. In its capacity as the Original Equipment Manufacturer for the post boost propulsion system, Aerojet Rocketdyne completed a life extension under Northrop Grumman in 2014 and continues to provide engineering support for that system to the U.S. Air Force today.
The recent award to Northrop Grumman for the TMRR phase of the GBSD acquisition program will last approximately three years and will culminate in a weapon system preliminary design.
During that period, Aerojet Rocketdyne will evaluate multiple propulsion options and provide early designs that meet specific prime contractor ICBM configurations.
"Over the last decade, Aerojet Rocketdyne has supported U.S. Air Force strategic propulsion research and development activities that were focused on advancing technology and keeping sharp the engineering and manufacturing skills associated with designing propulsion systems, most notably large solid rocket motors," added Drake.
"In conjunction with these investments that have direct applicability to GBSD, we are well positioned to provide the most reliable and most affordable propulsion system solutions to Northrop Grumman."
Lockheed Martin receives contract for Trident II nuclear missile
The Defense Department has awarded Lockheed Martin Space Systems a $21.9 million modification to an existing U.S. Navy contract for support of the Trident II D5 submarine launched ballistic missile.
The work will be split between Sunnyvale, Calif., Cape Canaveral, Fla. and other locations across the U.S. with an expected completion date of Sept. 30 2017.
The Trident II D5 is the … read more
