Firehawk Defense Raises Over 150 Million Dollars in Series D Round

Firehawk Defense, a manufacturer of propellants and rocket motors for the United States defense industry, has secured more than 150 million dollars in a Series D funding round. The company, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, produces solid rocket motor propellants and Hydra-70 rocket motors while developing base-boost motors for 155-millimeter artillery shells. This financial injection supports the firm's ongoing expansion in the defense sector.

Rochefort Asset Management announced the transaction on the 29th, revealing that it co-led the round alongside Advent International. Rochefort had previously provided a senior secured loan to Firehawk Defense in April of this year, making this new investment a continuation of its financial support. The specific valuation and total cumulative funding raised by the company were not disclosed in the announcement.

The new capital will be used to advance the development of a manufacturing facility in Lawton, Oklahoma, and a missile integration facility in Crawford, Mississippi. These sites are intended to accelerate the production of artillery motors, solid rocket motors, energetics, and propellants for customers in the United States and its allied nations. The Crawford facility is already operational and is currently engaged in the integration work for Hydra-70 rockets.

According to Rochefort, the demand for ammunition continues to rise in Ukraine and the Middle East, leading to decreased stockpiles of artillery and rocket propulsion systems in the United States and among its allies. Production of base-boosts, which extend the range of standard 155-millimeter shells, remains limited due to supply chain constraints. Rochefort views Firehawk as well-positioned to supply base-boost motors for international demand, leveraging its collaboration with General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems.

The company’s competitive advantage lies in its propellant manufacturing method. It has replaced the traditional cast-and-cure process with a continuous thermoplastic manufacturing platform, allowing propellants to be formed in hours rather than weeks. Firehawk plans to expand this manufacturing approach from propellants to motors and eventually to finished munitions. The Lawton propellant plant, named Great Plains Arsenal, is scheduled to begin operations in early 2027. It is designed to produce 740,000 pounds of thermoplastic propellant annually, with the capacity to expand to over 3.1 million pounds.

Firehawk Defense recently conducted live-fire tests of six Hydra-70 rockets at the Yuma test range in August, achieving success with all rounds. This followed the company’s acquisition of a contract from the United States Army under the Other Transaction Authority. The Army’s annual procurement of Hydra-70 rockets can exceed 330,000 units depending on operational requirements. The company also holds a development contract for solid rocket motors with the United States Air Force. The BRIDGE editorial team reported this story, selecting and summarizing startup announcements from press release services for readability.