“The future of missile defense is a mix of high end and lower cost interceptors,” said Lt. Gen. John Rafferty, commander of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command. Those actions follow a $1 billion Pentagon investment in L3Harris Technologies intended in part to expand solid rocket motor capacity. Even with strong demand, expanding missile production remains constrained by specialized suppliers and the federal budget process. Northrop Grumman claims to have invested about $2 billion across its munitions and solid rocket motor businesses over the past several years, including more than $1 billion dedicated specifically to solid rocket motors. A solid rocket booster provides the interceptor’s initial acceleration, while a separate divert and attitude-control system maneuvers the kill vehicle toward its target.