New US heatshield tech to guard nuclear missiles at Mach 5 speeds

The US Navy has awarded TexTech Engineered Composites a $76.8 million contract to supply advanced carbon-phenolic heatshield materials and other reentry components for American and British strategic missile programs, primarily supporting submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) reentry vehicles. This cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract extends through October 2030 and includes both production and research and development efforts to advance next-generation thermal-protection systems. The contract reflects the US-UK partnership in the Trident missile program, with the UK accounting for 2% of the purchases under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and the contract was awarded on a sole-source basis due to TexTech’s unique capability to produce these specialized carbon-phenolic composites. Carbon-phenolic materials are critical for missile reentry vehicles, as they must withstand temperatures exceeding 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit during hypersonic atmospheric