TL;DR: Avio USA will produce and qualify solid rocket motors for Lockheed Martin’s Extended Range GMLRS and Precision Strike Missile, securing a second domestic motor source and expanding Avio’s U.S. footprint.
The Details
The U.S. arm of Italy’s Avio signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Lockheed Martin to build and qualify solid rocket motors for the Extended Range GMLRS and the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM). The deal gives Lockheed a backup supplier alongside L3Harris and Northrop Grumman, while Avio reserves production capacity and leverages its European heritage to internal‑manufacture cases and nozzles. Avio’s new 900,000‑sq‑ft plant in Hurt, Virginia broke ground in September and is slated to begin motor production in 2029, positioning the company as a full‑time supplier for key U.S. munitions programs.
Watch For
- The qualification timeline and any certification milestones for Avio‑built motors (targeted for 2029).
- Capacity constraints or supply‑chain pressures at existing U.S. motor providers that could affect Lockheed’s procurement.
- Policy or budget decisions that may accelerate or delay defense missile production schedules.