Anduril Industries, the American defence technology firm, has taken a bold step to bolster the nation’s defence industrial base with the opening of a new Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) manufacturing facility in McHenry, Mississippi. This strategic investment, backed by $75 million in private capital, positions Anduril as a formidable third player in the US SRM market, challenging the long-standing duopoly and addressing critical gaps in missile component production.
The facility’s rapid development—from groundbreaking to operational status in just 18 months—is a testament to Anduril’s agility and innovation. With over 100 employees now on-site, the company has already test-fired more than 700 motors since January 2024. By the end of 2026, the McHenry site is expected to produce 6,000 tactical motors annually, a significant contribution to US military readiness.
A key driver of this expansion is a recent award from the US Department of Defense under the Defense Production Act, reinforcing the government’s confidence in Anduril’s approach. Brian Schimpf, CEO and co-founder of Anduril, underscored the strategic importance of this partnership: “When the shooting starts, the tools that our warfighters do battle with should work without fail.” This public-private collaboration is not just about scaling production—it’s about ensuring the reliability of critical defence infrastructure.
Anduril’s entry into the SRM sector comes at a pivotal moment. The company has already achieved key milestones, including successful live-fire tests in April 2025 for the US Navy’s Standard Missile programme, which has been instrumental in intercepting Houthi-launched attacks in the Red Sea and Iranian missiles in the Middle East. Additionally, Anduril was selected by the US Army to develop a 4.75-inch SRM for long-range artillery systems, a move aimed at increasing firepower efficiency by allowing 30 guided rockets to launch from a single HIMARS pod. Swedish defence firm Saab has also chosen Anduril to design and produce SRMs for its Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb, further cementing the company’s role in the global defence supply chain.
What sets Anduril apart is its modern approach to manufacturing. The McHenry facility incorporates robotics, digital analytics, and a “one-piece flow” model, enabling parallel processes to reduce downtime. At the heart of the operation is a bladeless high-speed mixer, the only one of its kind globally, which enhances both safety and efficiency. The company’s ALITEC fuel formulation, an aluminium-lithium alloy, promises to increase missile range by up to 40% compared to legacy motors, further solidifying its competitive edge.
Anduril’s rapid scaling and innovation are not just about meeting current defence needs—they are about shaping the future of military technology. By integrating advanced automation and modular design, the company is redefining what it means to engineer victory on the factory floor. “We are proud to stand up this capability in Mississippi, and prouder still to be powering the next generation of American deterrence,” the company stated. This commitment to speed, safety, and scale positions Anduril as a cornerstone of what it calls the “Arsenal of Democracy,” ensuring that the US and its allies have the tools to deter and defeat any adversary.
As geopolitical tensions rise, the need for a resilient defence industrial base has never been more urgent. Anduril’s expansion in Mississippi is a clear signal that the US is taking decisive steps to strengthen its military capabilities. By investing in cutting-edge technology and fostering public-private partnerships, the company is not only addressing critical shortfalls in missile production but also setting a new standard for defence manufacturing. The question now is whether other defence firms will follow suit, accelerating innovation and ensuring that the US remains at the forefront of global security.
