- Firehawk Defense makes solid rocket motors that propel shells and missiles, and the propellant that goes into them. Solid propellant is a mass in which fuel and oxidizer are hardened together.
- The conventional method mixes batches in pots and takes weeks to cure. The company claims that a continuous process, which melts and mixes thermoplastic materials with heat, produces the raw material within hours. Foreign media reported that a process that once took around 60 days was cut to the order of 6 hours.
- The company stated that it aims to become the largest shell motor maker in the United States and the No. 3 propellant producer by the end of 2027. The company announced that Hydra-70 rocket live-fire tests at the Yuma test site in August were 100% successful.
- Advent International and Rochefort Asset Management jointly led a Series D of at least $150 million. According to the company, its valuation is at least $1.4 billion, compared with the $290 million estimated by foreign media during the previous Series C round.
O: Procurement staff who schedule shell motor deliveries for major defense supply chains may find this news worth noting when considering whether propellant production that used to take weeks could move to a continuous process.
X: The production speed and the successful live fire of the Hydra-70 100% come from the company's announcement and figures reported by foreign media, so independent verification should be checked first.