L3Harris’ advanced large solid rocket motors power successful US Missile Defense test

L3Harris Technologies has debuted an advanced large solid rocket motor to power the company’s air-launched, Medium Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM) target vehicle.

The new L3Harris solid rocket motor, named eSR-19, was part of a recent Missile Defense Agency (MDA) test that powered the target’s first and second stages.

The test, designated as Flight Test Other-40 or Stellar Banshee, demonstrated detection and tracking of an advanced hypersonic target by the USS Pinckney. The exercise included firing a simulated upgraded Standard Missile 6 at the target, an air-launched MRBM with a Hypersonic Target Vehicle 1 front end.

“L3Harris designs, builds and integrates air-launched target missiles and then launches them from C-17 aircraft to provide realistic test trajectories,” says Ken Bedingfield, President, Aerojet Rocketdyne, L3Harris. “The enhanced capability of our new eSR-19 solid rocket motor, combined with our proven air-launch system, allows our target missile to accurately represent a wider array of potential threats, providing MDA with more flexibility in developing test scenarios.”

The eSR-19 is an upgraded version of the SR-19, which powers the second stage of the nation’s Minuteman III strategic missiles. The new advanced large solid rocket motor features a lighter filament-wound composite case and other improvements to provide enhanced performance.

The successful mission marks L3Harris’ 39th launch in support of the U.S. missile defense program.