Aerojet Rocketdyne has been selected by Lockheed Martin to build an advanced solid rocket motor booster for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) hypersonic weapon system, known as Operational Fires, or Op-Fires. Op-Fires aims to develop and demonstrate a ground-launched missile system, enabling hypersonic boost-glide weapons to penetrate modern enemy air defenses and rapidly and precisely engage critical time-sensitive targets from a highly mobile launch platform. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control are leading the integration effort for the third phase of the program, which is focusing on missile design, launcher development, and vehicle integration. Aerojet Rocketdyne joins the Lockheed Martin-led Op-Fires team which includes Northrop Grumman, and Electronic Concepts & Engineering, Inc. DARPA’s OpFires hypersonic weapon program to demonstrate a long-term solution for the Army’s medium and long-range capability, Aerojet Rocketdyne’s innovative variable-range rocket motor now enables OpFires to deliver payloads across the mid-range spectrum with a single, hypersonic missile,” said Jason Reynolds, vice president of Advanced Programs at Lockheed Martin Missiles. Aerojet Rocketdyne provides a broad range of capabilities to support hypersonics, including scramjets and warheads. Having provided both the liquid and solid propulsion systems that powered the US Air Force-DARPA to hypersonic flight success, Aerojet Rocketdyne is now developing lightweight and robust solid rocket motor cases and incorporating additive manufacturing into its high performance air-breathing systems.