Military leaders need weapons that can fly farther, strike faster and be produced affordably at scale. L3Harris took a significant step toward meeting that need with a major solid fuel ramjet test at its site in Orange County, Virginia, advancing next-generation propulsion technology for future offensive and defensive missions. The test demonstrated progress toward a high-performance, lower-cost propulsion option designed to meet the Department of War’s goal to provide superior advanced weapon systems, at affordable mass, that will outpace adversaries and expand the range of solutions available to the warfighter.
The event marked the company’s first full-scale test of a new solid fuel ramjet fuel grain specially formulated to significantly reduce the cost of fuel when compared to historical industry standards. During the ground test, the team ignited and operated the system in a direct connect flight-representative environment, allowing engineers to evaluate performance across a large portion of the simulated flight envelope. Initial results showed propulsion levels were consistent with expectations for flight operation, giving the team valuable data as it continues to refine the design towards tactical missile system demonstration.
“This test is an important step in proving solid fuel ramjet propulsion can deliver the speed, range and affordability our customers need,” said Scott Alexander, President, Missile Propulsion, L3Harris. “We are reducing risk now so we can move faster toward a scalable capability for the warfighter.”
This test event helps validate key performance characteristics as L3Harris accelerates towards flight testing, and this disciplined approach marks an essential risk reduction step in enabling solid fuel ramjet propulsion to help close a critical performance and cost gap for the U.S. military and allies.
“We are answering the Department of War’s call for longer-reach, more capable, lower-cost propulsion that is producible at the scale needed,” said Joel Warhurst, Director, Business Development, L3Harris. “We are designing for manufacturing, performance and production capacity with a straightforward goal of more speed, more range at a cost point that supports affordable mass.”
With additional ground testing planned, the company is moving quickly from test data and refinement to tactical missile flight demonstration – advancing a propulsion solution designed for the speed, scale and affordability future missions will require.
L3Harris is building on more than 80 years of experience producing solid rocket motors and advanced airbreathing propulsion systems for critical defense programs as it matures this technology. The company is also investing its own resources to advance next-generation development that rapidly spirals into production. By applying proven engineering discipline and advanced manufacturing methods, the company is making systems that are more producible. It’s also improving reliability, lowering costs and enabling designs that traditional manufacturing methods cannot easily achieve.
The company’s Orange County, Virgina, site is central to this achievement. The same site where L3Harris is testing next-generation propulsion is also investing to significantly expand production engine capacity for the defense industrial base. In April, the company announced a more than $1 billion expansion of its solid rocket motor production capacity at the site, with the creation of the Virginia Advanced Propulsion Facilities campus. The expansion is expected to more than double manufacturing space and create more than 350 jobs over the next five years. By pairing a growing propulsion workforce with modern facilities and continued testing, L3Harris is further positioning Orange County as a key hub for advanced propulsion systems.