RTX's Raytheon completes successful ballistic test for U.S. Army's Next Generation Short Range Interceptor

Rhea-AI Summary

Raytheon (NYSE: RTX) completed a company-funded ballistic test for the U.S. Army's Next Generation Short Range Interceptor (NGSRI) on Feb. 2, 2026, showing the interceptor can track drone targets and be fired from a man-portable launcher.

Raytheon cites prior 2025 tests of Highly Loaded Grain solid rocket motors with Northrop Grumman and says modular design and automated manufacturing support faster development and production for Army and Marine Corps shoulder-launched and vehicle-fired roles.

Positive

• Completed company-funded ballistic test demonstrating drone-tracking and man-portable firing capability (Feb 2, 2026)
• 2025 HLG solid rocket motor tests with Northrop Grumman suggest longer burn time and extended range
• Use of modular design and automated manufacturing to accelerate development and production

Negative

• No quantified performance metrics or official Army contract milestones disclosed in this announcement
• Company-funded testing may signal program risk or Army schedule dependence absent announced government-funded milestones

Key Figures

Air defense experience: more than 60 years

1 metrics

Air defense experience more than 60 years NGSRI design heritage mentioned in Raytheon description

Market Reality Check

Price: $200.93 Vol: Volume 6709668 vs 20-day ...

normal vol

$200.93 Last Close

Volume Volume 6709668 vs 20-day avg 6180561 (relative volume 1.09x) suggests only modestly elevated activity ahead of this test update. normal

Technical RTX trades above its 200-day MA at 159.73 and sits about 2.16% below its 52-week high of 205.36, reflecting a strong pre-news uptrend.

Peers on Argus

RTX gained about 0.53% while key Aerospace & Defense peers were also modestly po...

RTX gained about 0.53% while key Aerospace & Defense peers were also modestly positive: LMT +2.13%, GD +1.11%, NOC +0.62%, BA +0.09%, HWM +0.14%. However, no peers appeared in the momentum scanner, indicating RTX’s move around this NGSRI test looks more stock-specific than a coordinated sector rotation.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jan 28 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Jan 28	Defense contract win	Positive	-0.9%	Award of $197M MS-110 reconnaissance contract for Poland’s airborne system.
Jan 27	Earnings & outlook	Positive	+3.7%	Reported 2025 growth in sales, EPS and cash flow plus 2026 guidance.
Jan 21	Distribution agreements	Positive	+0.6%	Collins Aerospace signed three-year C-130 wheel and brake distribution deals.
Jan 14	Space mission support	Positive	+2.5%	Blue Canyon supplied Saturn-200 minisatellite for NASA’s Pandora exoplanet mission.
Jan 07	Mini‑tender response	Neutral	-2.5%	Company advised shareholders to reject low-priced Tutanota mini‑tender offer.

Pattern Detected

Recent RTX headlines, especially contracts and program wins, have generally seen positive price alignment, with only occasional divergences such as the Poland contract and the mini‑tender response.

Recent Company History

Over the last month, RTX has reported several positive developments. On Jan 27, it posted strong 2025 results with growing sales, EPS, and free cash flow, followed by a contract win for Poland’s MS-110 system on Jan 28. Collins Aerospace expanded C-130 support deals on Jan 21, and Blue Canyon contributed a minisatellite to NASA’s Pandora mission on Jan 14. A Jan 7 mini‑tender warning contrasted with these growth-oriented updates. Today’s NGSRI test fits the pattern of ongoing program execution in defense.

Regulatory & Risk Context

Active S-3 Shelf

Shelf Active

Active S-3 Shelf Registration 2025-09-18

RTX has an effective S-3ASR shelf registration dated 2025-09-18, allowing issuance of various securities via future prospectus supplements. As of the latest data, usage_count is 0, indicating no takedowns have been executed under this shelf.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlights continued progress on RTX’s NGSRI program, with a successful ballistic ...

Analysis

This announcement highlights continued progress on RTX’s NGSRI program, with a successful ballistic test demonstrating man-portable and drone-tracking capability. It follows recent earnings strength, new contracts, and technology milestones across the portfolio. Investors may watch for upcoming NGSRI flight tests, additional Army program updates, and any future use of the company’s effective shelf registration, alongside how these developments interact with RTX’s position near its 52-week high.

Key Terms

surface-to-air missile

1 terms

surface-to-air missile technical

"which will replace the Stinger® surface-to-air missile."

A surface-to-air missile is a weapon fired from the ground or a ship to locate, follow and intercept aircraft or incoming missiles in flight. Think of it as a guided guard dog that chases and stops airborne threats before they reach a target. Investors care because production, deployment and export of these systems affect defense company revenues, government budgets, geopolitical risk and the security of assets in conflict zones.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Raytheon advances NGSRI with company-funded testing

TUCSON, Ariz., Feb. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, has successfully completed a ballistic test for the U.S. Army's Next Generation Short Range Interceptor (NGSRI), which will replace the Stinger® surface-to-air missile.

This marks another successful ballistic test for Raytheon's NGSRI, demonstrating the interceptor's ability to track drone targets and be fired from a man-portable launcher. Raytheon funded the test to demonstrate technical maturity and collect critical data ahead of the program's flight test demonstration.

"Raytheon's investment in NGSRI demonstrates the company's strong partnership with the U.S. Army and our commitment to equipping service members with this advanced capability," said Tom Laliberty, president of Land and Air Defense Systems at Raytheon. "We continue to prioritize rapid learning and testing to ensure the Army receives a cost-effective and technologically superior interceptor."

In 2025, Raytheon worked with Northrop Grumman to conduct multiple successful tests of Highly Loaded Grain (HLG) solid rocket motors. HLG is a solid propellant technology for rocket motors that provides longer burn time and more energy output than conventional rocket motors, which extends the range of Raytheon's NGSRI offering compared to other missiles. The company continues to partner with the U.S. Army on meeting their NGSRI schedule.

NGSRI is the U.S. Army's new short-range missile that flies faster and performs better against aerial threats than existing interceptors. The missile can be fired from a vehicle or shoulder-mounted launcher.

Raytheon's NGSRI design leverages more than 60 years of air defense experience to provide the world's most advanced shoulder-launched air defense missile for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. The company's use of modular system design and automated manufacturing has enabled faster development and production.

About Raytheon
Raytheon, an RTX business, is a leading provider of defense solutions to help the U.S. government, our allies and partners defend their national sovereignty and ensure their security. For more than 100 years, Raytheon has developed new technologies and enhanced existing capabilities in integrated air and missile defense, smart weapons, missiles, advanced sensors and radars, interceptors, space-based systems, hypersonics and missile defense across land, air, sea and space.

About RTX 
RTX is the world's largest aerospace and defense company. With more than 180,000 global employees, we push the limits of technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our world. With industry-leading capabilities, we advance aviation, engineer integrated defense systems for operational success, and develop next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with 2025 sales of more than $88 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. 

For questions or to schedule an interview, please contact corporatepr@rtx.com 

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rtxs-raytheon-completes-successful-ballistic-test-for-us-armys-next-generation-short-range-interceptor-302676065.html

SOURCE RTX

FAQ

What did Raytheon announce about the NGSRI ballistic test on Feb. 2, 2026 (RTX)?

Raytheon reported a successful company-funded ballistic test showing NGSRI can track drone targets and fire from a man-portable launcher. According to Raytheon, the test collected technical data and demonstrated maturity ahead of the program's flight test demonstration.

How does the NGSRI test affect Raytheon's development timeline for RTX's missile program?

The test provided technical maturity data intended to advance the development timeline and flight-test readiness. According to Raytheon, company-funded testing was used to accelerate learning and support the Army's scheduled flight test demonstration.

What is Highly Loaded Grain (HLG) and how did 2025 tests impact Raytheon's NGSRI (RTX)?

HLG is a solid propellant technology offering longer burn time and greater energy output than conventional motors. According to Raytheon, 2025 HLG tests with Northrop Grumman extend NGSRI range compared with conventional rocket motors.

Can the NGSRI be launched from both shoulder and vehicle systems as claimed by Raytheon (RTX)?

Yes. Raytheon states the NGSRI is designed for shoulder-mounted and vehicle-fired roles to address short-range aerial threats. According to Raytheon, the design aims to provide a faster, higher-performing interceptor than current short-range systems.

Does the Feb. 2, 2026 announcement confirm an Army contract award for Raytheon's NGSRI (RTX)?

No. The announcement reports company-funded testing and partnership with the Army but does not state a contract award or procurement decision. According to Raytheon, testing was to demonstrate technical maturity ahead of planned flight demonstrations.