WASHINGTON — Avio USA, the American subsidiary of Italian aerospace company Avio, has signed an agreement to manufacture and qualify solid rocket motors for Lockheed Martin’s Extended Range Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) and the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM). This strategic move establishes Avio as a key, long-term supplier for Lockheed’s critical munitions programs.
Under the terms of this strategic cooperation agreement, Avio USA will serve as a secondary source of solid rocket motors for the Precision Strike Missile, and once fully qualified, an additional supplier for the widely used GMLRS rocket system. Jim Syring, CEO of Avio USA, explained that this agreement secures production capacity for Lockheed Martin.
“They are essentially reserving manufacturing capacity for us,” Syring noted, highlighting the mutual benefits of the partnership for both companies.
Tim Cahill, president of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, stated in a release that the partnership “enables us to speed up production of essential capabilities, ensuring our customers maintain their competitive edge against emerging threats.”
Historically, solid rocket motors have represented a major bottleneck in the US munitions supply chain, following decades of industry consolidation that left only two primary domestic providers: L3Harris and Northrop Grumman. While new entrants like Anduril, Ursa Major, and X-Bow are currently developing and testing rocket motors, the rigorous qualification process required for military integration typically takes several years.
Although Avio has a long-standing reputation in Europe for solid rocket motor production, its US subsidiary is relatively new to the domestic market. The company broke ground on its first American manufacturing facility in September—a massive 900,000-square-foot plant in Hurt, Virginia—which is slated to begin motor production in 2029.
Syring emphasized that Avio’s legacy status as an established European manufacturer provides its US arm with distinct advantages over newer market entrants. Specifically, Avio USA will manufacture critical components like motor cases and nozzles in-house, mirroring its parent company’s operations and bypassing an already heavily stressed defense supply chain.
The company’s extensive manufacturing experience also facilitates workforce training. Choosing southern Virginia for the new plant provided access to a strong pool of skilled trade workers, including mechanics, electricians, and welders. However, all personnel will undergo specialized training to meet the highly demanding standards of rocket motor fabrication.
“We will leverage the technical discipline and experience of these local workers, training them to become solid rocket motor manufacturing experts,” Syring explained. “We plan to utilize our parent company’s facilities in Italy, sending our employees there for three to four months of hands-on training in an active production environment.”
Ahead of actual production, Avio has already begun procuring raw materials such as steel. The company plans to order long-lead-time equipment—including industrial mixers, ovens, and x-ray machines—by the end of the year.
In addition to its work on GMLRS and PrSM, Avio is currently performing engineering and development work for the Mk104 solid rocket motor, which is utilized in Raytheon’s Standard Missile family. The company is on track to complete the critical design review for this motor in the spring of 2027.