The US Navy and its industrial team conducted their first live fire test of rocket engines on Thursday, which will drive the Navy's conventional rapid strike attack hypersonic missiles and the Army's long-range hypersonic weapons. The US Navy Strategic Systems Program Office tested the first stage solid rocket motor (SRM) at Cape Utah. Northrop Grumman developed this engine, with Lockheed Martin serving as the primary weapon system integrator, providing enhanced capabilities for both military and hypersonic attack missiles. The first stage solid rocket engine will be part of a new missile booster and will be combined with a common hypersonic glide body (CHGB) to create a common hypersonic missile. Each branch will use conventional hypersonic missiles while developing weapon systems and launchers specifically for sea or land launch. This successful SRM test is a key milestone for the next joint naval and army flight test (to be conducted in the first quarter of fiscal year 2022), ultimately leading to the deployment of CPS and LRHW weapon systems

The Universal Glider was successfully tested in March 2020, and the Army and Navy are currently collaborating with government managed national laboratories and industry to develop and produce it. The navy led the design work of the glider, while the army led the production work. Vice Admiral Johnny Wolfe, the project manager of Strategic Systems, said at the annual meeting of the Navy Submarine Alliance last year that a key challenge facing the Navy, Army, and industry will be to "leverage all the successes we have achieved in flight test research and development. So how do we start production? How can we transform it into a military capability that we can give to the military - because we are working with the military - what do they want to do for their first comprehensive capability around 2023? So, how can we continue this process to achieve the Navy's capability on (missile submarines) within the 2025 time frame?

Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman announced in another press release on Thursday that during the first phase of solid rocket engine testing, "the engine ignited throughout the entire testing period and achieved performance parameters and goals within expected ranges." "We are pleased to celebrate this important event with the US Navy, Army, and Northrop Grumman. Steve Lane, Lockheed's program leader for conventional strike, said in the press release, " Today's results are attributed to our joint efforts and determination to see successful testing of conventional rapid strike programs. "This live fire event is an important milestone on the road to providing hypersonic strike capabilities to US Navy and Army combat personnel. That's right Northrop Grumman is proud to leverage our expertise in flight validated solid rocket propulsion to support the development of an advanced end-to-end missile system that can deter emerging and future threats, "added Charlie Prescott, Vice President of Propulsion Systems at Northrop.