Northrop Grumman has secured a contract valued at over $200 million to supply the US Army with XM1211 High Explosive Proximity ammunition, a next-generation medium-caliber round designed to counter the increasing threat posed by small drones. The munition forms a key part of the Army’s expanding short-range air defense capabilities.
Engineered for the 30mm XM914 and M230LF chain guns, the XM1211 uses a proximity-fused warhead that detonates when near a target, dispersing fragmentation for maximum effect. The round was jointly developed with several US Army agencies, including JPEO A&A, Maneuver Ammunition Systems, and DEVCOM, and was accelerated in 2021 to meet pressing battlefield needs.
Northrop is now expanding its production footprint to keep pace with US military requirements, with manufacturing to take place at company facilities in Minnesota, West Virginia, and Virginia. The Army expects growing demand as drone warfare continues to evolve across global conflicts.
Alongside the ammunition work, Northrop conducted a static firing test of the SMASH!22 rocket motor as part of the annual SMART Demo program, which brings together defense-industry partners to advance new propulsion technologies. The 22-inch motor is built using updated tooling and 3D-printed components to reduce manufacturing timelines and improve efficiency. Insights from the test will support the upcoming evaluation of the larger BAMM!29 2.0 motor in early 2026. Both designs benefit from Northrop’s prior experience in solid-rocket development and are intended to deliver adaptable, cost-efficient propulsion solutions for future weapon systems.
