A view of X-Bow Systems’ Luling Campus. (Image courtesy X-Bow Systems/PRNewswire)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—X-Bow Systems Inc., a non-traditional producer of advanced manufactured solid rocket motors (SRMs) and defense technologies, recently announced it completed installation of its patented Additive Manufacturing of Solid Propellant (AMSP) production system at its Luling, Texas campus and is completing initial operational testing.
According to a release from X-Bow Systems, the milestone marks a significant step in commissioning the nation’s newest SRM manufacturing facility, including comprehensive checkout tasks such as inert material trials to validate system performance and readiness for scaled production.
“The U.S. energetics materials supply chain is fragile, relying on decades-old, batch-based manufacturing processes. In 2023 testimony before Congress, Dr. William LaPlante, then Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, highlighted that replenishing certain munitions stockpiles could take 5 to 10 years at current production rates. X-Bow’s AMSP process—patented, digital-first, and flight-validated—provides a modern solution to this vulnerability, delivering production and surge capacity for critical national defense programs,” the company said in the release.
This milestone directly supports the U.S. Department of Defense’s Acquisition Transformation Strategy, which is reported to prioritize “speed, flexibility, and co-investment between government and industry.”
What’s next
- Production Readiness: Within the next 30 to 90 days, the Additive Manufacturing of Solid Propellant system will begin flowing energetics and producing SRM propellant for existing contracts.
- Scalable Capacity: Backed by approximately $40 million in X-Bow private capital, along with co-investment from the U.S. Air Force and DARPA, the facility will initially produce 1 million pounds of energetics annually, with plans to scale to 3 million pounds within 12-24 months. That goal is reportedly equivalent to about 3,000 to 3,800 or more Standard Missile motors, or approximately 30,000 to 50,000 tactical sized SRMs per year, the company said.
- Critical Programs: The AMSP system supports solid rocket motors ranging from tactical to strategic sizes, including the U.S. Army’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon System, the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike weapon system, and the Mk 72 booster and Mk 104 dual-thrust SRM for the Navy’s Standard Missile program. X-Bow is reported to be the only supplier awarded development contracts for both the Mk 72 and Mk 104.
Digital engineering advantage
X-Bow’s AMSP production system leverages modern systems engineering tools and AI-driven optimization, including its partnership with Lockheed Martin’s Astris AI Factory. “This ensures enhanced efficiency, scalability, and quality assurance, moving SRM production out of the analog era and into the digital future,” the release stated.
“We’ve depleted in one year what was considered a decade’s worth of munitions stockpiles,” said Jason Hundley, founder and CEO of X-Bow, in the release. “Our Texas campus provides production and surge capacity for tactical, strategic, and hypersonic solid rocket motors, ensuring we deliver critical capabilities to the warfighter at the speed of relevance.”
X-Bow Systems is working to disrupt the aerospace industry with innovative and cost-effective advanced manufactured energetics for the solid rocket motor and launch vehicle market. The company is also designing and building a suite of modular solid rocket motors and small launch vehicles for both orbital and suborbital launch services.