Northrop Grumman Corporation

12/03/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 12/04/2025 08:57

Northrop Grumman to Produce High Explosive Proximity for the U.S. Army

PLYMOUTH, Minn. - Dec. 3, 2025 - The U.S. Army has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) a contract valued over $200 million to produce the XM1211 High Explosive Proximity (HEP) fuzed round of medium caliber ammunition. This award is a significant milestone in delivering next-generation munitions for short range air defense against small Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).

  • The XM1211 is a 30x113mm round integrated with a proximity sensor that only needs to get close enough to detect a target, at which point it detonates, sending fragmentation for defeat.

  • Designed and produced in conjunction with the U.S. Army Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments & Ammunition, Project Manager Maneuver Ammunition Systems (PM MAS) and U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), the XM1211 is ideal for use against small UAS and is designated for use with Northrop Grumman's XM914, and M230LF Bushmaster® Chain Guns®.

  • Northrop Grumman and PM MAS rapidly developed the round to meet an urgent materiel release in 2021 and are now accelerating ramp-up and capacity expansion to meet increased domestic and international demand.

  • Production will occur at Northrop Grumman's facilities in Plymouth and Elk River, Minnesota; Allegany Ballistics Laboratory, West Virginia; and Radford Ammunition Plant, Virgina.

Experts:

Dave Fine, vice president, armament systems, Northrop Grumman: "As the only qualified producer of the XM1211 proximity round, Northrop Grumman is uniquely positioned to deliver this urgent need for advanced munitions with speed. Our partnership with the U.S. Army drives innovation and ensures that we meet the critical needs of soldiers on the battlefield today."

The XM1211 proximity round gives soldiers the flexibility to defeat small drones without relying on a direct hit. (Photo Credit: Northrop Grumman)

Details:

For nearly 40 years, Northrop Grumman's innovations in ammunition have led to cutting-edge defenses. Today, the company is adapting to emerging threats by developing new types of medium caliber "advanced" ammunition including airburst, proximity, and guided munitions to provide greater precision and the ability to counter unmanned threats and to defeat advanced armor.

With nearly 100,000 employees and over 30 million square feet of manufacturing space - more than 500 football fields - Northrop Grumman has the capacity, scale, and agility to drive innovation at unprecedented speeds. The company's manufacturing approaches do more than just produce; they accelerate and enhance the entire process from design and development to production and testing. Northrop Grumman has invested in U.S. infrastructure, R&D, its workforce, and its supply chain to deliver today and tomorrow's national security needs.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers' toughest problems, our employees define possible every day.

Northrop Grumman Corporation published this content on December 03, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on December 04, 2025 at 14:57 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]