Raytheon, a business of RTX, has awarded contracts to Nammo and Northrop Grumman to begin initial phase development of the MK72 solid rocket motor, a critical component in the Standard Missile family widely used by the U.S. Navy and allied forces.
In a statement, Barbara Borgonovi, president of Naval Power at Raytheon, said the new awards are aimed at addressing global demand pressures. “These contracts are an important step toward increasing capacity and source options to meet global demand for critical defense systems, such as Standard Missile,” she said. “In addition to dual sourcing, we’re doubling down with support and oversight of our supply base and making strategic investments to address constraints and reduce risk so we can deliver more capabilities, faster.”
According to Raytheon, the two companies will focus on verifying design requirements and specifications for the MK72 and will complete a Systems Requirements Review in the coming phase. This review will help refine technical aspects of the rocket motor before advancing toward further development and qualification.
The MK72 serves as the first-stage rocket motor for Standard Missiles, a key element of naval air defense. By broadening its supplier base, Raytheon is seeking to ensure production resilience amid rising global demand and ongoing concerns over strained defense manufacturing supply chains.
Company officials say this phase is designed to demonstrate that both Nammo and Northrop Grumman can meet the technical and production ramp-up demands associated with the program. The effort is also intended to mitigate risk ahead of full-scale production.
The move reflects a wider trend across the defense industry, as U.S. defense contractors and suppliers push to secure multiple production lines for essential components and reduce dependence on single-source suppliers.
Raytheon’s initiative with Nammo and Northrop comes at a time when the Pentagon continues to emphasize industrial base resiliency under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Raytheon said the MK72 development effort will support future deliveries to both U.S. and international customers, as the company works to strengthen its missile production infrastructure.
Raytheon is a key supplier of the Standard Missile series, which includes the SM-2, SM-3, and SM-6 variants, used aboard Aegis-equipped ships for air and missile defense.