Pentagon, X-Bow Invest in Next-Gen GMLRS Rocket Motor
The US Army and New Mexico-based X-Bow Systems are investing $13.9 million to create and test a next-generation solid rocket motor for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS).
By introducing X-Bow’s patented manufacturing technology, the initiative aims to modernize missile production, expand the rocket motor industrial base, and reduce reliance on outdated supply chain methods.
The funding structure blends Army support with private investment, managed through the Department of Defense’s Office of Strategic Capital. As part of the project, X-Bow will work alongside Kord Technologies, a KBR subsidiary, to provide technical expertise. The program will end with a static fire demonstration, validating the design and paving the way for new suppliers.
The effort is part of the Advanced Manufacturing Pathfinder program, which leverages government-industry cost-sharing to integrate more suppliers, strengthen resilience, and replace obsolete production systems.
X-Bow CEO Jason Hundley described the project as a “shift in how rocket motors are built for the US military.”
The initiative builds on X-Bow’s recent successes: the Bolt rocket test in October 2024, progress on a hypersonic booster engine, Navy contracts for Mk 72 and Mk 104 rocket motors, and an Air Force Research Laboratory program to cut costs in solid rocket motor production.
