The U.S. Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman a $94.3-million contract to develop and qualify a new 21-inch second-stage solid rocket motor intended to extend the reach of the Standard Missile-6 family. Rather than pursuing an entirely new interceptor, the Navy is leveraging propulsion upgrades to rapidly enhance performance against advanced air, surface, and hypersonic threats. The contract includes low-rate production of 60 motors, indicating a full qualification pathway toward operational deployment. By increasing propellant volume and total impulse, the larger second stage is expected to significantly improve terminal energy and engagement range.
