Anduril acquires solid rocket motor startup Adranos

US defence software company Anduril Industries has completed the acquisition of Indiana-based Adranos, a manufacturer of innovative solid rocket motors. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed but through this acquisition Costa mesa-based Anduril will become a merchant supplier of solid rocket motors to prime contractors delivering missiles, hypersonics and other propulsion systems.

Founded in 2015, Adranos has invented and commercialised a proprietary aluminum-lithium alloy solid rocket fuel called ALITEC that it says can produce up to a 40% range increase in solid rocket motors, while saving costs. The company has also devised an advanced manufacturing process for developing solid rocket motors that is significantly faster and more efficient than techniques used by legacy solid rocket motor manufacturers, as well as reportedly being less damaging to the environment.

ALITEC was invented by Adranos co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Brandon Terry in 2015 when he was a post-doctoral student in Purdue University’s School of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Anduril will help develop the Adranos Solid Rocket Complex production facility in Mississippi into a modern manufacturing facility, which will increase output of both standard and ALITEC solid rocket motors to thousands per year at much faster lead times than currently available.

“Through the Adranos acquisition, Anduril Industries will become a manufacturer and merchant supplier of solid rocket motors to companies delivering missiles, hypersonics and other propulsion systems,” said Anduril’s Senior Vice President of Engineering, Dr Shane Arnott.

“Anduril’s acquisition of Adranos establishes a new merchant supplier of these components at a critical time,” he added. “Adranos has devised an advanced manufacturing process for developing solid rocket motors that is significantly faster and more efficient than techniques used by legacy solid rocket motor manufacturers. This brings innovation to a sector that has largely used the same traditional manufacturing methods for years.”

In Australia a key recommendation of the Defence Strategic Review (DSR) published in April was to accelerate and expand weapons systems to replenish Australia’s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) stocks and to establish sovereign missile and munition manufacturing facilities in Australia, Dr Arnott added.

“Anduril Australia is well positioned to support the ADF and the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator for localised innovative approaches to DSR recommendations.”

The company’s entry to the market as a supplier will provide increased velocity for development and production of solid rocket motors, which are critical to replenishing allied stockpiles of munitions and maintaining credible deterrence.

“Our focus has been on innovating solid rocket motor development and manufacturing, solving the problems of rocket range and production volumes,” said Adranos CEO and co-founder Chris Stoker. “With Anduril, we’ll be able to rapidly mature our technology and scale our team and production capabilities to increase our output to thousands of traditional and ALITEC solid rocket motors per year.”

In March 2019 Adranos was a prize winner in the first US Army xTechSearch prize competition for ALITEC, and its potential impact on rocket performance.