Aerojet Rocketdyne Delivers 830,000th Attitude Control Motor for Patriot Missile

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Feb. 27, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As company investments enable significant increases in production, Aerojet Rocketdyne has now delivered the 830,000th Attitude Control Motor (ACM) for Patriot missile system variants, including the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE).

“We take great pride in our role powering the PAC-3 MSE air defense missile system, and this milestone comes at a uniquely important time as the demand for key defense systems continues to increase,” said Eileen P. Drake, Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and president. “Our investments to expand production for this critical system will ensure we are able to meet continued demand for our reliable propulsion.”

Investments in ACM production, including significant building upgrades, increased manufacturing space, improvements to automated production processes and new state-of-the-art equipment, such as laser welders, filament winders and grinders, resulted in reduced labor hours, and fewer parts and motor transfers within the ACM building. The investments allowed the site to move from two to three production lines, increasing ACM production by 40%.

Each Lockheed Martin PAC-3 MSE missile contains 180 egg-sized ACMs that fire explosively to refine the missile’s course and ensure impact. Of the 830,000 ACMs Aerojet Rocketdyne has delivered since the program’s inception, more than 700,000 were produced at Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Solid Rocket Motor Center of Excellence in Camden, Arkansas.

In addition to the missile’s ACMs, Aerojet Rocketdyne provides the PAC-3 MSE’s dual-pulse solid rocket motor and the lethality enhancer. Separate from company investment into ACM production, last year Camden opened a new 51,000 sq. ft. facility where the company is now producing the PAC-3 MSE’s revolutionary dual-pulse motor. The new building consolidated multiple manufacturing activities under one roof and added advanced equipment, improving operational efficiency, increasing production capacity, reducing costs, and providing for even safer operations.

Aerojet Rocketdyne has supported the PAC-3 missile system since its inception and has provided ACMs for the program since 2004.