Avio USA to Qualify Rocket Motors for Lockheed's GMLRS and PrSM
Avio's U.S. subsidiary and Lockheed Martin have signed a cooperation agreement for Avio to produce and qualify solid rocket motors for the Extended Range GMLRS and Precision Strike Missile. The arrangement would give Lockheed another motor supplier for those weapons once qualification is complete, according to Avio USA CEO Jim Syring. Avio USA recently began construction on a large plant in Hurt, Virginia, that is expected to begin manufacturing motors in 2029, as the U.S. solid rocket motor sector seeks alternatives to its long-standing domestic suppliers.
Avio’s American subsidiary has reached a cooperation deal with Lockheed Martin to produce and qualify solid rocket motors for the Extended Range GMLRS and Precision Strike Missile. Once qualified, Avio could serve as a second PrSM motor source and an added GMLRS supplier. The U.S. solid rocket motor market has long been concentrated between L3Harris and Northrop Grumman, while newer entrants such as Anduril, Ursa Major and X-Bow are still developing and testing motors.
Avio USA broke ground in September on a 900,000-square-foot plant in Hurt, Virginia, with motor manufacturing expected in 2029. Its parent company’s European experience may help: Avio plans in-house case and nozzle work, has ordered steel, and intends to buy long-lead equipment by year’s end. It is also engineering the Mk104 motor for Raytheon’s Standard Missile family, with a critical design review planned for spring 2027.
Count first para: Avio’s(1) American2 subsidiary3 has4 reached5 a6 cooperation7 deal8 with9 Lockheed10 Martin11 to12 produce13 and14 qualify15 solid16 rocket17 motors18 for19 the20 Extended21 Range22 GMLRS23 and24 Precision25 Strike26 Missile27. Once28 qualified29, Avio30 could31 serve32 as33 a34 second35 PrSM36 motor37 source38 and39 an40 added41 GMLRS42 supplier43. The44 U.S.45 solid46 rocket47 motor48 market49 has50 long51 been52 concentrated53 between54 L3Harris55 and56 Northrop57 Grumman58, while59 newer60 entrants61 such62 as63 Anduril64, Ursa65 Major66 and67 X-Bow68 are69 still70 de
This cooperation could add redundancy to a constrained solid rocket motor supply chain, potentially improving availability of GMLRS and PrSM for U.S. and allied forces. Defense workers and southern Virginia communities may see training, jobs, and plant investment, while taxpayers could weigh higher capacity against cost and demand risks. Because qualification and production are years away, broader effects on readiness and the industrial base may emerge only gradually. Count: This1 cooperation2 could3 add4 redundancy5 to6 a7 constrained8 solid9 rocket10 motor11 supply12 chain13, potentially14 improving15 availability16 of17 GMLRS18 and19 PrSM20 for21 U.S.22 and23 allied24 forces25. Defense26 workers27 and28 southern29 Virginia30 communities31 may32 see33 training34, jobs35, and36 plant37 investment38, while39 taxpayers40 could41 weigh42 higher43 capacity44 against45 cost46 and47 demand48 risks49. Because50 qualification51 and52 production53 are54 years55 away56, broader57 effects58 on5