Raytheon and Avio to expand rocket motor production

Raytheon, an RTX business, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Avio to establish a new solid rocket motor manufacturing facility in the United States.

The companies said the site will operate as a vertically integrated merchant supplier, providing solid rocket motors for Raytheon and other customers. Under the agreement, Raytheon will have preferred access to a share of the facility’s production capacity to meet future demand.

According to Raytheon, the partnership deepens ongoing cooperation between the two companies. It follows a contract signed in July 2024 for preliminary engineering work on the Mk 104 dual-thrust rocket motor, which is used in the Standard Missile family. Raytheon also issued a purchase order to fund work through Critical Design Review and to procure long-lead materials required for qualification.

In a statement, Bob Butz, vice president of Operations, Supply Chain and Quality at Raytheon, said the move is intended to expand domestic manufacturing capacity.

“This agreement will help establish an additional supplier of solid rocket motors within the U.S. and demonstrates our commitment to meeting the increasing demands of our customers,” Butz said. He added that Avio brings experience in propulsion development and manufacturing, which Raytheon expects will support future production of critical weapon systems.

The Standard Missile series is widely used by U.S. and allied naval forces, including for air defense and maritime strike missions. The Mk 104 dual-thrust rocket motor provides the boost and sustained propulsion phases required for the missile’s engagement profile. As demand for air and missile defense systems increases globally, U.S. industry has faced pressure to expand production capacity for propulsion components.

The companies said the new facility will be used to produce solid rocket motors for Raytheon programs and to supply additional customers in the U.S. defense market. The site is intended to function as a domestic production node, operated by Avio USA, with the capacity to support both near-term and long-term program requirements.

In a statement, retired Vice Admiral Jim Syring, CEO of Avio USA, said the company intends to use the new facility to establish a fully integrated production capability inside the United States. “We are proud to be partnered with Raytheon for their future production capacity needs at our new factory facility,” Syring said. He noted that Avio will draw on the engineering and manufacturing experience of its parent company Avio S.p.A. as it builds its U.S. footprint.

The companies said the initiative is aimed at improving supply resilience for propulsion systems. Solid rocket motors are produced through specialized processes that cannot be rapidly scaled, and suppliers must maintain consistency in materials, performance, and safety standards. By adding an additional source of supply, Raytheon and Avio aim to support the production of missile systems that rely on dual-thrust propulsion.