On May 11, 2024, the US Department of Defense Manufacturing Technology Program signed a $22 million contract with Aerojet Rocketdyne to develop hypersonic propulsion prototypes through additive manufacturing. This work is expected to last for 36 months.

In the upcoming project cycle, Aerojet will actively carry out the "Improving the Maturity of Aspirated Hypersonic Additive Manufacturing" (GAMMA-H) challenge project, which is an important plan aimed at breaking through the boundaries of additive manufacturing technology in the field of hypersonic propulsion.

Imagination of hypersonic weapons. Image source: Aerojet Rocketdyne

Aerojet's mission in the GAMMA-H program is to completely change the traditional manufacturing process of scramjet engines, simplify operations to achieve higher efficiency and cost-effectiveness. By integrating important steps in the manufacturing process, Aerojet is committed to improving the predictability of progress and cost efficiency, thereby ensuring a more cohesive and streamlined supply chain.

This milestone contract is an important milestone for the Pentagon's ongoing efforts to modernize and diversify its current manufacturing processes, particularly in the production of complex hypersonic weapon components. Traditional manufacturing methods have long been striving to address the complex geometric specifications required by advanced hypersonic technology, thus urgently requiring innovative solutions.

Aerojet Rocketdyne President Ross Niebergall said, "Aerojet Rocketdyne will integrate several important steps of the end-to-end scramjet engine manufacturing process under the GAMMA-H contract, which will provide progress and cost efficiency related to reducing dispersed supply chains. Optimizing the process will increase part production and reduce the number of processing steps, thereby improving production speed and reducing costs."

The GAMMA-H project is part of the Pentagon's efforts to diversify the manufacturing process of complex hypersonic weapon components. This project demonstrates the crucial role of additive manufacturing in shaping the future of hypersonic weapons, providing unparalleled precision and versatility compared to traditional manufacturing technologies.

According to the Pentagon, traditional manufacturing methods are unable to produce the complex geometric specifications required for advanced hypersonic technology. The plan aims to build hypersonic components that can meet the propulsion and temperature requirements of modern hypersonic suction systems.

Keith DeVries, Deputy Director of the Office of Manufacturing Technology Programs at the US Department of Defense, said, "We need to challenge the limits of materials produced using additive manufacturing processes. Science has proven this to be possible, but practice is not widespread enough. GAMMA-H will encourage further adoption of this breakthrough technology."