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ARLINGTON, Va., May 26, 2026 — Raytheon, working with Northrop Grumman, won a phase-two award under DARPA’s Burn n’ Go program to advance a new solid rocket motor concept designed to break from traditional single-use configurations by enabling on-demand thrust adjustments in a composable architecture.
The award follows a highly accelerated, seven-month first phase in which the companies demonstrated the feasibility of the propulsion approach. The technology is intended to extend across a broader set of missions and weapon systems by offering more options derived from a standardized single-use motor design. In phase two, Raytheon’s Advanced Technology team plans to mature and scale the solution and conduct a series of demonstrations in progressively more representative rocket-motor configurations.
“Solid rocket motor production has become a critical bottleneck for many missile programs,” said Colin Whelan, president of Advanced Technology at Raytheon. “By pursuing a composable approach to how these motors are designed and built, we’re helping lay the groundwork for faster, more adaptable munitions production across multiple mission sets.”
As prime contractor, Raytheon is partnering with Northrop Grumman’s Allegany Ballistic Laboratory, which brings extensive experience in solid rocket motor design and manufacturing. Luna Innovations is also part of the team, contributing novel materials development to help realize DARPA’s goal for more flexible, scalable missile propulsion.
The effort builds on the Advanced Technology team’s broader composable weapons strategy aimed at shortening development cycles, cutting costs, and speeding missile delivery.
