Kratos Delivers Critical Component for Lockheed Martin’s High-Performance Propulsion Initiative
Rhea-AI Summary
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (Nasdaq: KTOS) reported it has successfully developed, tested and delivered advanced turbomachinery supporting Lockheed Martin’s advanced ramjet propulsion system for a next-generation missile.
The compact, high‑performance, self‑regulating turbomachinery harnesses ram air energy and is designed to offer size and weight advantages over alternative approaches, supporting performance and affordability goals. Kratos completed a standalone test campaign to verify operating points, durability and performance before integration. According to Kratos, this validation supported broader propulsion testing that showed the missile’s core propulsion is ready to advance toward flight testing and near‑term fielding plans, witnessed by Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Center. Kratos highlighted ongoing internal investment in turbomachinery technology and infrastructure as part of its long‑term strategic initiatives.
Positive
- Advanced turbomachinery developed, tested and delivered for Lockheed Martin ramjet program
- Standalone turbomachinery tests validated operating points, durability and performance
- Propulsion system testing deemed ready to advance toward flight testing
- Missile core propulsion described as validated capability for near-term fielding plans
- Continued internal investment in turbomachinery technology and infrastructure
Negative
- None.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | 24h Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 23 | Earnings call scheduling | Neutral | +3.2% | Scheduled release of second-quarter 2026 financial results and conference call. |
| Jul 21 | Contract award | Positive | +4.9% | Received an approximately $156 million counter-unmanned aircraft system contract. |
| Jul 20 | Manufacturing partnership | Positive | -0.2% | Selected as exclusive U.S. manufacturer for Elroy Air's Chaparral aircraft. |
| Jul 15 | Facility expansion | Positive | -1.4% | Opened a 167,000-square-foot Pennsylvania manufacturing facility. |
| Jul 14 | Program funding | Positive | +7.2% | Received approximately $400 million for hypersonic and national-security programs. |
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Recent positive operational and funding announcements produced mixed 24-hour reactions, with two aligned moves and three divergences.
Key Terms
turbomachinery technical
ramjet propulsion system technical
form 10-k regulatory
forms 10-q and 8-k regulatory
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
Advanced Turbomachinery Successfully Validated Ahead of Integration into Next-Generation Missile Propulsion System
SAN DIEGO, July 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTOS), a technology company in the defense, national security and global markets, today announced that it has successfully developed, tested, and delivered advanced turbomachinery supporting development of Lockheed Martin’s advanced ramjet propulsion system.
Kratos designed a compact, high-performance turbomachinery solution that harnesses ram air energy to support propulsion system operations. This self-regulating design delivers a superior size and weight solution compared to alternative approaches, contributing to the overall performance and affordability objectives of the program. Prior to integration into the propulsion system, Kratos completed a comprehensive standalone turbomachinery test campaign to validate operating points, component durability, and performance.
The successful validation of Kratos' turbomachinery contributed to the broader propulsion system's testing, which validated the propulsion system's readiness to advance toward flight testing. Representatives from Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Army's Aviation and Missile Center were present to witness the propulsion system test, which demonstrated that the missile's core propulsion is a validated capability ready to support near-term fielding plans.
“Kratos is a leader in propulsion technology, dedicated to the rapid development, demonstration and deployment of innovative solutions,” said Stacey Rock, President of Kratos Turbine Technologies. “Our philosophy is to collaborate with industry leaders who share our mission of delivering cutting-edge technologies and capabilities to market quickly and cost-effectively. This opportunity with Lockheed Martin has been highly successful and represents a cornerstone of our long-term strategic initiatives.”
Kratos has and continues to invest in technology and infrastructure to support its growing family of turbomachinery products for advanced propulsion applications. At Kratos, affordability is a technology, and the company's internally funded research, development, and capital investments enable rapid delivery of high-performance solutions that address the nation's most challenging defense requirements.
About Kratos Defense & Security Solutions
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS) is a technology, products, system and software company addressing the defense, national security, and commercial markets. Kratos makes true internally funded research, development, capital and other investments, to rapidly develop, produce and field solutions that address our customers’ mission critical needs and requirements. At Kratos, affordability is a technology, and we seek to utilize proven, leading-edge approaches and technology, not unproven bleeding edge approaches or technology, with Kratos’ approach designed to reduce cost, schedule and risk, enabling us to be first to market with cost effective solutions. We believe that Kratos is known as an innovative disruptive change agent in the industry, a company that is an expert in designing products and systems up front for successful rapid, large quantity, low-cost future manufacturing which is a value-add competitive differentiator for our large traditional prime system integrator partners and also to our government and commercial customers. Kratos intends to pursue program and contract opportunities as the prime or lead contractor when we believe that our probability of win (PWin) is high and any investment required by Kratos is within our capital resource comfort level. We intend to partner and team with a large, traditional system integrator when our assessment of PWin is greater or required investment is beyond Kratos’ comfort level. Kratos’ primary business areas include virtualized ground systems for satellites and space vehicles including software for command & control (C2) and telemetry, tracking and control (TT&C), jet powered unmanned aerial drone systems, hypersonic vehicles and rocket systems, propulsion systems for drones, missiles, loitering munitions, supersonic systems, space craft and launch systems, C5ISR and microwave electronic products for missile, radar, missile defense, space, satellite, counter UAS, directed energy, communication and other systems, and virtual & augmented reality training systems for the warfighter. For more information, visit www.KratosDefense.com and follow Kratos on LinkedIn and X.
Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are made on the basis of the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the management of Kratos and are subject to significant risks and uncertainty. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Kratos undertakes no obligation to update or revise these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Although Kratos believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements involve many risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from what may be expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements. For a further discussion of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of Kratos in general, see the risk disclosures in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Kratos for the year ended December 28, 2025, and in subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K and other filings made with the SEC by Kratos.
Press Contact:
Claire Cantrell
claire.cantrell@kratosdefense.com
Kratos Investor Information:
877-934-4687
investor@kratosdefense.com
