Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (NASDAQ:
RKLB) shares are trading higher Monday following the announcement that the company will play a key role in
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:
KTOS) $1.45 billion
MACH-TB 2.0 contract.
What To Know: Kratos, a defense technology company, on Monday secured a five-year contract for Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed (MACH-TB) 2.0, a project designed to enhance the U.S. hypersonic flight testing infrastructure.
The initiative, established under the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering’s National Hypersonic Initiative 2.0, aims to bridge the gap between ground testing and full-scale hypersonic system testing, reducing risks and accelerating development.
Kratos will lead Task Area 1 of the MACH-TB 2.0 project, focusing on systems engineering, integration and testing.
Rocket Lab will provide air launch services as part of a larger team that includes Leidos, Stratolaunch and other subcontractors. This effort will support the increased frequency of hypersonic flight tests needed for national security objectives.
Kratos’ leadership emphasized the importance of the program in advancing affordable hypersonic technologies and highlighted the contract as the largest in the company’s history. The MACH-TB 2.0 program is expected to be a significant driver of future growth for Kratos, which also cited its existing hypersonic capabilities as a key factor in securing the contract.
"With the recent successes of our low-cost Erinyes Hypersonic Flyer and Zeus Solid Rocket Motors, Kratos is a leader in the testing and fielding of hypersonic systems. We are very excited to bring this unmatched expertise to the MACH-TB 2.0 program,” said
Dave Carter, President of Kratos Defense and Rocket Support Services Division.