Anduril opens solid rocket motor factory amidst ongoing chemical chokepoint

Anduril has launched a high-volume solid rocket motor (SRM) factory in Mississippi, aiming to become the United States’ third major SRM supplier and break the longstanding duopoly held by Northrop Grumman and L3Harris’ Aerojet Rocketdyne. The factory is expected to produce 6,000 tactical motors annually by the end of 2026, supporting a range of applications from missile interceptors to deep-space probes. This expansion comes amid increased demand for weapons driven by geopolitical tensions such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine and conflicts in the South China Sea. The U.S. Department of Defense has supported new entrants like Anduril, Ursa Major, and X-Bow Systems with funding to move from prototype to commercialization. However, the SRM supply chain faces a critical bottleneck due to the reliance on ammonium perchlorate (AP), a key oxidizer produced at scale by only one qualified supplier, American Pacific (AMPAC) in Utah. Despite