TechCrunch Startup News Anduril opens solid rocket motor factory amidst ongoing chemical chokepoint
Aug 14, 2025
A new factory in Mississippi is set to change the game in tactical solid rocket motor production. The discussion highlights the challenges of supply chain vulnerabilities for critical materials like ammonium perchlorate. As demand surges, the podcast dives into how this could disrupt the current duopoly in defense contracting. Listeners will gain insight into the geopolitical pressures influencing the industry and the opportunities that arise amidst these challenges.
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Anduril Scales SRM Production
- Anduril opened a high-volume solid rocket motor (SRM) factory in Mississippi to challenge a decades-long duopoly.
- The plant aims for 6,000 tactical motors/year by end of 2026 and has already static-fired 700+ motors.
AP Is The Hidden Chokepoint
- Despite new SRM suppliers, ammonium perchlorate (AP) remains produced at scale by only one qualified U.S. supplier, Ampac.
- This single-source AP supply creates a critical chokepoint for all motor manufacturers.
1990s Consolidation Created Today's Risk
- Jerry McGinn explained the AP supplier collapse followed dwindling SRM demand in the 1990s and a Pentagon-backed consolidation.
- The Pentagon preferred one healthy provider over multiple struggling firms, creating today's single-source risk.