RTX’s Raytheon has announced the Next-Generation Short-Range Interceptor (NGSRI), a missile positioned as the successor to the Stinger system.
The NGSRI will feature a rocket motor developed with Northrop Grumman, packing fuel more densely to boost performance without increasing the motor’s size.
“The rocket motor itself is a really, really fixed volume, so it is a challenge to get more range out of it, but we are getting a significant amount,” said Raytheon’s NGSRI Tech Director Will Strauss.
With a new seeker, the weapon will reportedly enable troops to identify and engage targets at greater distances in both daylight and darkness — a particular advantage against small drones.
The interceptor is also backward-compatible with existing launchers, making it combat-ready as soon as first units see the field.
“The legacy Stinger is still the best portable air defense system in the world, but what we can do with NGSRI is really going to take it to the next level,” Raytheon official Brenda Ortiz noted.
‘Manufacturing With Speed’
Raytheon expects to field the NGSRI by the end of the year, with the company working with the US government to streamline production.
The system’s design draws on battle-tested tech already in production, helping to shorten NGSRI’s development timeline.
Soldier feedback also informed the design, prompting weight and ergonomics changes that resulted in a lighter, easier-to-use missile.
“When I see our engineering teams … incorporating [the feedback] in the next change of design, it gives me hope that we are definitely on a path to giving the warfighter the capabilities that they absolutely need and deserve,” stated Bill Darne, Raytheon’s short-range air defense director.
