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Aerojet Rocketdyne ready to produce C fibre cases

26 Dec '19

2 min read

Pic: Aerojet Rocketdyne

Aerojet Rocketdyne is all set to produce large solid rocket motor carbon fibre cases in the Rocket City with installation and calibration of a key machine at its new Advanced Manufacturing Facility (AMF). The carbon fibre-winding machine will begin producing large solid rocket motor cases for missile defence target vehicles in Huntsville, Alabama in 2020.

The state-of-the-art machine will be used to wind the carbon fibres that form the structural case of large solid rocket motors. It is capable of producing motor cases up to 72 inches in diameter and 22 feet long, which is large enough to support strategic missile programmes.

“The successful transfer of this important capability from Sacramento, California, to Huntsville, Alabama, is part of our ongoing efforts to increase efficiencies and decrease product costs to our customers,” said Eileen Drake, Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and president. “Expanding support of missile programmes at the Advanced Manufacturing Facility is a major component of our ongoing growth in the Rocket City.”

The carbon fibre-winding machine will begin producing large solid rocket motor cases for missile defence target vehicles built by Aerojet Rocketdyne Coleman Aerospace starting in early 2020.

“This capability also positions our Advanced Manufacturing Facility and Huntsville Defence Headquarters to support new US national security priorities, such as the Air Force’s Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) programme,” said Drake.

The 136,000-square-foot AMF was designed to manufacture motor cases for a variety of missile, missile defence and hypersonic systems. Among the existing production programmes it supports, are the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence and Standard Missile-3 interceptors.

Aerojet Rocketdyne, which has provided propulsion on every US ICBM to date, was recently selected by Northrop Grumman to be an integral part of its nationwide GBSD team.

Aerojet Rocketdyne has made significant investments in new, agile manufacturing capabilities, infrastructure, processes, tooling and people in its Huntsville, Alabama; Camden, Arkansas; and Orange County, Virginia sites. The company also acquired 3DMT earlier this year to increase its additive manufacturing capacity. Aerojet Rocketdyne is well-positioned to competitively support large solid rocket motor production for next generation programmes, in particular, GBSD and hypersonics.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SV)