Saab has selected Anduril Rocket Motor Systems to develop and supply solid rocket motors for the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), a long-range precision weapon co-developed with Boeing.
According to a press release from Anduril, the company will design, test, and eventually mass-produce new rocket motors to replace the aging M26 MLRS motor currently used in the system.
Anduril said its new design will match the performance and weight of the original while being safer and cheaper to produce. The company is using updated manufacturing methods and new suppliers to deliver the motors quickly and at scale.
To support the program, Anduril is expanding its facility in McHenry, Mississippi. “Once the expansion is completed in July 2025, the facility will bring significant additional capacity to the U.S. and allied industrial base, helping to close a critical gap in the supply of affordable rocket motors for long range systems,” Anduril said.
Anduril said it has already commenced work to develop and qualify the system with plans to transition it to full rate production in 2026.
“We’re super excited to be a partner with Saab on this. We believe we’re in a really good position to scale quickly with the factory and the innovation that we use in the factories,” Neil Thurgood, Anduril’s senior vice president for air and ground deterrence told Defense News.
In March, Anduril also secured a separate contract to supply solid rocket motors for the U.S. Army, specifically for the new 120mm rockets used with the M142 HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System). The agreement also included the development of a replacement engine for the SM-6 surface-to-air missile.
