X-Bow completes preliminary design reviews for its Mk 72 and Mk 104 solid rocket motors

X-Bow Systems, a leading non-traditional producer of advanced manufactured solid rocket motors (SRMs), announced on 12 January 2026 that it has successfully completed the preliminary design review (PDR) for its Mk 72 booster and Mk 104 dual-thrust SRM development contracts for the US Navy’s Standard Missile programme.

The milestone, X-Box Systems noted, represents a crucial step in demonstrating design maturity, reducing risk for critical technologies within the Standard Missile programme and ultimately accelerating X-Bow’s commitment to expanding the US domestic industrial base for SRM production.

Under two contracts X-Bow Systems is developing new designs for the Mk 72 and Mk 104 SRMs using state-of-the-art design tools and unique patented advanced manufacturing approaches for the first and second stage propulsion of the US Navy’s Standard Missiles. These efforts are in collaboration with the navy’s Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS) 3.0, the Naval Air Warfare Center’s Weapons Division at China Lake, the Naval Surface Warfare Center at Indian Head, and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab.

“X-Bow Systems is proud to be a partner in addressing the nation’s critical need for more solid rocket motors,” Jason Hundley, X-Bow’s CEO, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “We have assembled a nationwide, experienced and talented team that is revolutionising the approach to conventional manufacturing: enabling speed, performance, flexibility, scaling, affordability, and reliability.”

As well as its work on the Standard Missile programme, X-Bow is also designing and building a suite of modular SRMs and small launch vehicles for both orbital and suborbital launch services.