US Army extended-range CUAS missile ramjet work to continue through December 2029

Northrop Grumman's $18.8 million U.S. Army agreement for eXtended Range Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System propulsion will continue through December 2029. Awarded by the Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation and Missile Center, the effort covers solid-fuel ramjet development, production of propulsion hardware, testing and validation of system performance. The work supports a longer-range counter-drone missile intended for maneuvering forces, with propulsion maturity assessed before any operational fielding decision. Individual test milestones, numerical performance targets and the path to a deployable interceptor have not been disclosed, so the end date defines development activity rather than service entry.