Pentagon Running Out of U.S. Suppliers of Energetic Materials

[bobbymike]

2022 conference searched for didn’t find 2023 so not annual I assume, although should be IMHO

https://www.ndia.org/-/media/sites/ndia/meetings-and-events/2022/5/breakthrough-energetics-2022/2022-breakthrough-energetics-program_final.ashx

 

[bobbymike]

L3Harris looking to 'aggressively grow' Aerojet Rocketdyne as newest business unit - Breaking Defense

“I really see this as a fantastic opportunity to really rejuvenate [Aerojet] and nurture it to become the company we are confident it will become,” Ross Niebergall, the newly installed head of Aerojet, told Breaking Defense.

breakingdefense.com

Hopefully they’ll be some long range precision strike proposals.

 

[bobbymike]

Ukraine war shows America could be outgunned without investing in energetics - Breaking Defense

Energetic materials — critical chemicals that help determine the range, size, and explosive power of missiles and rockets — are in dangerously short supply for American interests, write Nadia Schadlow and Brady Helwig of the Hudson Institute.

breakingdefense.com

Have actually written for a decade plus about the importance of energetics for national defense other than probably getting on DHS watchlists don’t think I’ve accomplished much

 

[bobbymike]

Congress Adds Energetics, Critical Chemical Provisions to Defense Bill

Congress Adds Energetics, Critical Chemical Provisions to Defense Bill

www.nationaldefensemagazine.org

 

[bobbymike]

Hmmm. Any guesses?

Lockheed in ‘late-stage’ talks with solid-rocket motor partner

Lockheed declined to offer details on the potential purchase, including the name of the company and the timeline of the deal.

www.defensenews.com

 

[bobbymike]

Businesses reposition amid growing demand for solid rocket motors

Companies in the rocket propulsion industry are making their own moves, reshuffling the market with potentially wide-ranging effects.

www.defensenews.com

 

[bobbymike]

Ursa Major to 3D print solid rocket motor cases

Ursa Major hopes a 3D printing approach to production could one day help replenish depleted stocks of critical weapons such as Javelins and Stingers.

www.defensenews.com

 

[Forest Green]

A star is born.

 

[bobbymike]

Aerojet Rocketdyne Teams with NSWC IHD to Maximize Solid Roc

Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies [NYSE:LHX] company, and Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD) have signed a multi-year agree

www.asdnews.com

 

[bobbymike]

https://news.vt.edu/articles/2024/02/eng-aoe-department-defense-smart-energetics.html

 

[bobbymike]

https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/northrops-rocket-fuel-factory-is-slow-to-take-off-57aa7a27?st=0a4nr2mg6eq9a51&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

 

[Forest Green]

How the US can reclaim leadership in advanced energetic materials

Opinion: It's time to restore what was once American leadership in the materials that most define the lethality and effectiveness of weapons systems.

www.defensenews.com

 

[bobbymike]

Becoming my favorite innovative defense contractor.

Anduril wins solid rocket motor test, development contract for Navy's SM-6 - Breaking Defense

It's a key win for a company still working its way into the solid rocket motor industry.

breakingdefense.com

 

[Forest Green]

Ursa Major is helping America rapidly restock its missile arsenal by being at the forefront of 3D printing and additive manufacturing innovation using its Lynx solid rocket motor (SRM) manufacturing process. Read more from Forbes: https://t.co/U91U7Z1rF8

— Ursa Major (@ursamajortech) June 14, 2024

View: https://x.com/ursamajortech/status/1801751476554879332

 

[bobbymike]

Ursa Major is helping America rapidly restock its missile arsenal by being at the forefront of 3D printing and additive manufacturing innovation using its Lynx solid rocket motor (SRM) manufacturing process. Read more from Forbes: https://t.co/U91U7Z1rF8

— Ursa Major (@ursamajortech) June 14, 2024

View: https://x.com/ursamajortech/status/1801751476554879332

The old Khrushchev line of missiles being produced like sausages coming true.

I’d build about a million square foot facility

 

[bobbymike]

Raytheon Partners With AVIOo to Build a More Resilient US De

--Raytheon signs contract with AVIO to continue the development of solid rocket motor solutions to meet USG and Allied Demand.

www.asdnews.com

 

[bobbymike]

Energetics tech hub

https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2024/8/30/new-legislation-indian-head-tech-hub-boosts-energetics-industry?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR28x2aOzd96uDoH8lOQrn2TSwY47BdRp5SUvrDxbc_7Em4QlUIy6kQWcTM_aem__nSLTdqcOH10KuSYmSC3gQ

 

[bobbymike]

A new supplier is a good thing

https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2024/9/16/startup-to-produce-energetic-materials-with-3d-printers?mc_cid=109a87c371&mc_eid=307947a252

 

[bobbymike]

Ursa Major wins, matches $12.5M investment from DoD to improve solid rocket motor production - Breaking Defense

Ursa Major will match DoD's $12.5 million investment bringing the total deal's value up to $25 million.

breakingdefense.com

 

[publiusr]

N-20 at last?

High-energy-density cubic gauche nitrogen successfully synthesized at atmospheric pressure

A research group led by Prof. Wang Xianlong from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has successfully synthesized high-energy-density materials cubic gauche nitrogen (cg-N) at atmospheric pressure by treating potassium azide (KN3) using the...

phys.org

Researchers use nitrogen-based compounds as new high-performance energy storage materials

Researchers at the University of Bayreuth have synthesized unique scandium polynitrides under extreme conditions, with exotic chemistry and potential applications as high-energy-density materials.

phys.org

 

[bobbymike]

https://www.wsj.com/opinion/red-tape-hamstrings-research-for-the-next-tnt-national-defense-cf4fa228?mod=Searchresults_pos2&page=1&mc_cid=a04df50d49&mc_eid=307947a252

 

[Forest Green]

N-20 at last?

High-energy-density cubic gauche nitrogen successfully synthesized at atmospheric pressure

A research group led by Prof. Wang Xianlong from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has successfully synthesized high-energy-density materials cubic gauche nitrogen (cg-N) at atmospheric pressure by treating potassium azide (KN3) using the...

phys.org

Researchers use nitrogen-based compounds as new high-performance energy storage materials

Researchers at the University of Bayreuth have synthesized unique scandium polynitrides under extreme conditions, with exotic chemistry and potential applications as high-energy-density materials.

phys.org

Isn't cubic gauche supposed to be about 5-8x more powerful than TNT depending where you read?

https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA578712.pdf

The energy content of this material (33 KJ/g) is expected to be at least three times of that of HMX (10 KJ/g).

 

[bobbymike]

Anduril Industries and FlackTek Partner to Revolutionize Pro

Anduril Industries today announced a partnership with FlackTek, a global leader in high-velocity bladeless mixing and processing solutions, to develop and manuf

www.asdnews.com

 

[publiusr]

Isn't cubic gauche supposed to be about 5-8x more powerful than TNT depending where you read?

https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA578712.pdf

I couldn't say... maybe this can be mixed with other substances such that small internal carry missiles for stealth planes can match the performance of large, external carry ordnance.... the missile propellant merges with the warhead allowing a final burst of speed and detonation without needing a fuse...no more sidewinders stuck in a tailpipe to be back-engineered.

 

[Forest Green]

Army awards contract to build new TNT production facility in Kentucky

The U.S. has picked a location to restart its TNT production domestically as it races to ramp up 155mm production.

www.defensenews.com

 

[Forest Green]

Supernova wins contract to 3D print military-grade energetics

The Texas-based company Supernova won a contract to 3D print energetic materials as the Pentagon searches for more robust explosives sourcing.

www.defensenews.com

 

[Forest Green]

Rafael, Kratos team to produce solid rocket motors as Prometheus Energetics - Breaking Defense

The two firms become the latest entrant in the solid rocket motor business, which has boomed since the war in Ukraine began.

breakingdefense.com

The "increasing range" bit in Raytheon's concept refers to a US Navy funded effort to develop and mature a novel Highly Loaded Grain (HLG) dual-pulse solid rocket motor under the #SMOKE initiative. The Navy achieved significant milestone towards that effort in 2023. pic.twitter.com/vSnRNLg1Bw

— AirPower 2.0 (MIL_STD) (@AirPowerNEW1) February 28, 2025

View: https://x.com/AirPowerNEW1/status/1895608746719805612

 

[jsport]

I couldn't say... maybe this can be mixed with other substances such that small internal carry missiles for stealth planes can match the performance of large, external carry ordnance.... the missile propellant merges with the warhead allowing a final burst of speed and detonation without needing a fuse...no stuck sidewinder stuck in a tailpipe to be backengineered.

propellant merges with the warhead
why isnt this the standard for a 'all US & eventually NATO' 'family of modular missiles' from 40mm to AMRAAM & Hellfire/Brimstone/SPEAR size at least if not up to Patriot, THAAD, SM size. Each can be bult by various venders but maximizing commonality & overall capability for the length & width? rocket assisted artillery (RAP) should be included.

 

[Forest Green]

🇺🇸🇮🇱 @KratosDefense & @RAFAELdefense are jointly investing $175 million to establish a new 50/50 joint venture, Prometheus Energetics, which will produce solid rocket motors and warheads. Their HQ and production facility will be established on a 500-acre site near Naval Support… pic.twitter.com/y1d9Zjh6Z6

— Colby Badhwar 🇨🇦🇬🇧 (@ColbyBadhwar) March 1, 2025

View: https://x.com/ColbyBadhwar/status/1895851531628658744

 

[Big_Zukini]

Question:
The US has a contract to supply 50,000 GP bombs to a customer. How does it do that? Put them fully assembled and full on a ship/plane? Or deliver only the metal cases and fill them at the destination?

 

[Josh_TN]

AFAIK all USAF/USN bomb units travel by ship (unless it’s an emergency - by plane) fully built, though obviously not fused and finned. Pretty much any filler is very insensitive - TNT/RDX with an aluminum binder/inhibitor, sometimes polymers instead/as well depending on the munition. It is hard to make military grade explosives detonate unintentionally; sans fuse/initiator or they tend to deflagrate in fire.

 

[jsport]

Rafael, Kratos team to produce solid rocket motors as Prometheus Energetics - Breaking Defense

The two firms become the latest entrant in the solid rocket motor business, which has boomed since the war in Ukraine began.

breakingdefense.com

 

[Forest Green]

DOD 'finally on track' toward modernized energetics, but still behind, Wittman says | InsideDefense.com

The Defense Department has taken steps toward upgrading its propellant and explosive materials after some congressional prodding, but it's still outmatched, according to Rep. Robert Wittman (R-VA), vice chair of the House Armed Services Committee.

insidedefense.com

 

[Forest Green]

Lockheed targets global energetics expansion with Australia's GWEO as model - Breaking Defense

"The next priority for production is Europe," Lockheed's Tim Cahill told reporters. "I would say the Middle East is the next area of direct priority and interest, both on the part of the countries and the part for us to produce."

breakingdefense.com