Albuquerque-based solid rocket motor (SRM) manufacturer X-Bow Systems has been selected by Leidos to develop and produce booster motors for the U.S. Army's new low-cost LCCM (Low-Cost Containerized Munition) cruise missile. X-Bow announced the agreement on October 12 at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. The agreement covers design, qualification testing, and static fire tests, with X-Bow planning to enter full-rate booster manufacturing in 2027; Leidos will mass-produce LCCM munitions under the U.S. Department of War's "Arsenal of Freedom" initiative. The LCCM booster is one of six propulsion programs X-Bow was selected for in 2026, spanning the U.S. Navy, Army, and Missile Defense Agency; the company recently completed its first major production contract, delivering more than 2,100 combat-grade rocket motors. X-Bow uses a proprietary additive manufacturing process to produce solid rocket motors, positioning itself to break the roughly 50-year capacity bottleneck in the U.S. SRM sector; the company's revenue and backlog have more than doubled since 2023. Value for powder buyers: 1) The scaling of additive manufacturing for solid rocket motors will drive demand for aerospace-grade metal powders; 2) Pay attention to specification requirements for refractory/high-strength alloy powders in X-Bow's supply chain; 3) U.S. defense AM demand continues to concentrate in the SRM sector, and powder suppliers with export or overseas footprint capabilities can track opportunities.