AURORA, Colorado — Feb. 25, 2026 : U.S.-based aerospace and defense company Ursa Major has unveiled its new HAVOC medium-range hypersonic missile system at the Air & Space Forces Association’s Air Warfare Symposium, outlining a production-focused approach aimed at delivering scalable, affordable hypersonic capability to the joint force.
The HAVOC Missile System was formally introduced on Feb. 24 during the annual symposium hosted by the Air & Space Forces Association. Company officials described HAVOC as a complete, medium-range hypersonic weapon system engineered for rapid manufacturing and operational deployment in relevant quantities.
System Design and Operational Scope
HAVOC is designed as a multi-domain hypersonic missile capable of operating in both endo-atmospheric and exo-atmospheric flight regimes. The system is structured around a modular core vehicle that can function either as a strike weapon or as a maneuverable hypersonic target for testing and training purposes.
The missile architecture allows integration with multiple solid rocket motor boosters, enabling launch from a range of platforms. According to the company, these include fighter aircraft, bomber aircraft, naval vertical launch systems, and ground-based launchers. Extended-range configurations are supported through alternative booster pairings.
Ursa Major stated that HAVOC was developed to address survivability and maneuverability requirements while ensuring the system can be produced at scale. The company emphasized that the missile was designed from inception with manufacturability and industrial scalability as core objectives.
Draper Liquid Rocket Engine
The HAVOC system is powered by Ursa Major’s Draper engine, a 4,000-pound-thrust tactical liquid rocket engine that uses storable hydrogen peroxide and kerosene propellants. The engine is characterized as safe and storable, with a cost profile lower than comparable airbreathing propulsion systems such as scramjets.
Unlike traditional boost-glide systems or fixed-burn solid rocket motors, the Draper engine enables throttle control and restart capability throughout all phases of flight. This allows the missile to adjust speed and trajectory mid-flight. Company officials indicated that this throttle-and-restart functionality removes the requirement for expensive thermal protection systems typically associated with sustained hypersonic flight, contributing to lower overall system costs and supply chain simplification.
Production Model and Cost Targets
Ursa Major plans to manufacture between 80 and 90 percent of HAVOC’s components in-house, leveraging advanced additive manufacturing techniques and modern production processes. The company maintains additive manufacturing operations in Youngstown, Ohio, in addition to its headquarters in Berthoud, Colorado.
The firm has set a target all-up-round cost of under $3 million per missile. Company representatives stated that affordability, rapid production timelines, and scalable manufacturing capacity are central to the HAVOC program’s structure.
Chris Spagnoletti, appointed Chief Executive Officer of Ursa Major on Feb. 19, said the system was developed to prioritize speed of delivery and industrial capacity alongside performance.
Development Background and Flight Heritage
Ursa Major brings more than a decade of hypersonic propulsion development experience to the HAVOC program. The company’s Hadley liquid rocket engines have previously flown at hypersonic speeds in multiple test missions, validating propulsion performance under operational flight conditions.
In addition to propulsion systems, Ursa Major has participated in complete vehicle development through the Affordable Rapid Missile Demonstrator program in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory. That program is on track for an upcoming flight, according to company statements.
The company indicated that HAVOC aligns with Department of Defense hypersonic priorities, including rapid design-build-test-learn cycles, cost reduction in hypersonic systems, expansion of industrial production capacity, and development of next-generation capabilities to support operational inventories.
Corporate Overview
Ursa Major specializes in hypersonic propulsion, solid rocket motors, space mobility, and launch systems. The company stated that it is focused on strengthening the U.S. defense industrial base through vertically integrated production and flexible system architectures applicable across land, air, sea, and space domains.
The HAVOC Missile System represents the company’s entry into complete hypersonic weapon systems designed for medium-range applications, combining liquid propulsion, modular integration, and high-rate manufacturing objectives within a single platform.
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