Northrop Grumman test-fires prototype Mk 72 SRM for Standard Missiles

A close-up view of Northrop Grumman's test firing of its Mk 72 solid rocket motor at its Elkton, Maryland facility in December 2025. (Northrop Grumman)

Northrop Grumman completed a static test firing of its prototype Mk 72 solid rocket motor (SRM) earlier this month at its advanced propulsion production facility in Elkton, Maryland, the company said in an 18 December statement.

The motor is designed to meet “current performance requirements while improving manufacturability, lead time, and cost efficiency”, the statement said.

RTX selected Nammo and Northrop Grumman for initial work on Mk 72 SRM development as part of an effort to increase capacity and source options for the Standard Missile family among other systems, according to an RTX statement in April.

A Northrop Grumman spokesperson told Janes on 18 December that “this prototype was developed and built by Northrop Grumman in anticipation of the needs of all users of Mk 72 including the US Navy [USN], the [Missile Defense Agency], RTX, and others. This development reflects our commitment to addressing specific operational needs and the navy's trust in us as a potential supplier”.

The USN-funded static test “proved the alignment of [Northrop Grumman's] digital twin and performance modelling technologies to real, measured motor performance through captured data; addressed manufacturability, producibility, and supply chain resiliency challenges … through tailored trade studies; and established multiple sources for critical components, achieving supply chain resilience to ensure deliveries even as demand increases”, the Northrop Grumman statement said.