New Mexico-based X-Bow Systems and the US Army have committed $13.9 million to develop and test a new solid rocket motor for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS). The initiative seeks to ease pressure on the US missile supply chain, which continues to face challenges due to outdated production processes.
X-Bow will apply its patented propellant technology to create a fresh production source and reinforce the rocket motor industrial base. The project is being carried out under a cost-sharing model managed by the Department of Defense’s Office of Strategic Capital, combining military funding with private investment. The company will also work with Kord Technologies, part of KBR, to provide engineering support.
The program falls under the Advanced Manufacturing Pathfinder initiative, designed to accelerate innovation in defense production. It aims to modernize manufacturing processes, expand supplier networks, and reduce obsolescence within the industrial base. The effort will culminate in a static fire test of the new GMLRS rocket motor, a step toward establishing a reliable new supplier for the Pentagon.
This project builds on X-Bow’s recent achievements, including the launch of its “Bolt” rocket in 2024 and progress on its solid-fuel hypersonic booster. The company has also secured contracts to supply rocket motors for the US Navy’s Standard Missile program and received support from the Air Force Research Laboratory to expand advanced rocket manufacturing.
