Leidos Holdings, Inc.NYSE: LDOS

Leidos Selects X-Bow to Provide Rocket Motors for U.S. Army's Low-Cost Cruise Missile

· Issued by Leidos Holdings, Inc. via PR Newswire

Summary by 6ix AI

X-Bow Systems, a U.S. maker of solid rocket motors (rocket engines that burn solid fuel), said on October 12, 2026 that Leidos selected it to develop and produce the booster motors for the U.S. Army's new Low-Cost Containerized Munition (LCCM), a low-cost cruise missile.

Key details

  • Under the agreement, X-Bow will carry out design, qualification testing (tests confirming the motor meets requirements) and static fires (ground firings of the motor while held in place) before full-rate production of the booster motors at scale.
  • X-Bow says the LCCM program advances the Department of War's "Arsenal of Freedom" initiative, under which Leidos will produce the munitions in large quantities.
  • X-Bow says this is the latest of six new propulsion programs it has been selected for in 2026, spanning the Navy, Army and the Missile Defense Agency.
  • X-Bow says it has completed its first major production contract, which delivered more than 2,100 combat-ready rocket motors.

What’s still pending

  • Full-rate production of the booster motors at scale is planned for 2027, after design, qualification testing and static fires.

6ix AI wrote this summary from the release below and checked it against the release.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12, 2026/PRNewswire/ -- X-Bow Systems Inc (X-Bow®), a U.S. manufacturer of solid rocket motors (SRMs), today announced from the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition, that it has been selected by Leidos (NYSE: LDOS) to develop and produce the booster motors for the U.S. Army's new Low-Cost Containerized Munition (LCCM).

X-Bow tests a solid rocket motor in early 2026 (Photo-X-Bow Systems)

Under the agreement, X-Bow will move through design, qualification testing, and static fires ahead of full-rate production of booster motors at scale in 2027.

The award places X-Bow inside one of the fastest-growing segments of U.S. defense spending: the drive to rebuild a domestic solid rocket motor industrial base long concentrated among a handful of large suppliers and to field precision munitions in volume. The LCCM program advances the Department of War's "Arsenal of Freedom" initiative, under which Leidos will produce the munitions in large quantities.

"Modern conflict is decided by how many rounds you can put downrange, not how exquisite each one is," said X-Bow Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jason Hundley. "Partnering with Leidos on the Army's low-cost cruise missile lets us do what we were built to do—turn out combat-ready rocket motors at production scale, fast."

The award is the latest of six new propulsion programs X-Bow has been selected for in 2026, spanning the Navy, Army, and the Missile Defense Agency. This builds on the company's recently completed first major production contract, which delivered more than 2,100 combat-ready rocket motors.

Meet with X-Bow at AUSA, Oct. 12-14 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. To schedule a briefing, contact sales@xbowsystems.com.

About X-Bow Systems
X-Bow is solving the nation's munitions crisis by breaking the 50-year bottleneck in solid rocket motor (SRM) production. The company leverages its proprietary additive manufacturing to produce affordable, scalable SRMs that power a new generation of missiles, interceptors, and space launch vehicles. Reflecting strong demand, the company's revenue and backlog have more than doubled since 2023. Backed by prominent aerospace and venture capital investors, the company is headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with advanced manufacturing and test sites across the country. For more information, visit www.XBowSystems.com.

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SOURCE X-Bow Systems

View original source (PR Newswire)Leidos Holdings, Inc. on 6ix

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