THE US military has unveiled a groundbreaking rocket based on 1960s technology. The missile blasted off the California coast in a show of force from America. According to Global Firepower‘s 2025 military strength ranking, the US has remained the strongest military in the world since 2005. On Thursday, the US Navy confirmed a test of its new missile, showing that the US isn’t backing down from its coveted No. 1 spot. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) successfully fired the Solid Fuel Integral Rocket Ramjet (SFIRR) missile from a BQM-34 unmanned aerial target. The missile, which the US Navy called “game-changing,” flew at supersonic speed over the Point Mugu Sea Range. While this is the first time the US Navy launched the SFIRR from an unmanned vehicle, the technology was decades in the making. SFIRR technology dates back to at least the early 1960s. The air-breathing jet engine uses the vehicle’s high-speed forward motion to compress incoming air for combustion. The rocket is not just stunning to look at but practical for any possible military conflict. “Launching the missile from an unmanned vehicle allows warfighters to engage targets from further distances with increased safety,” Michael Smith of NAWCWD stated in a release. The US Navy “combined advanced propulsion, avionics and fire control technologies into the technology demonstrator,” in a relatively short 12 months. A technology demonstrator is a prototype used to showcase the performance of new technology. “Rapidly transitioning technologies from research to operational use is critical for maintaining a warfighting advantage,” Smith said. Abbey Horning, product director at NAWCWD’s Advanced Concepts, Prototyping and Experimentation office, remarked in the release that this test “brings us closer to providing an advanced propulsion system that will offer warfighters enhanced range and speed.” “We’re not just revisiting an old idea; we’re refining and modernising it to fit today’s mission,” she said of the technology. Solid fuel ramjet propulsion is less complex than liquid fuel ramjet propulsion, which significantly lessens weight. With less weight, the technology allows missiles to carry more warheads, travel farther and have more maneuverability. “SFIRR offers a balance of affordability, reliability and performance tailored to the Navy’s operational needs,” Horning said of its benefits. Ephraim Washburn, deputy director for energetics at NAWCWD, likened advancements in SFIRR technology to that of automobiles. “We’ve been driving cars since the early 1900s, but that doesn’t mean we stopped improving them,” he is quoted as saying in the release. Washburn continued: “Solid fuel ramjet technology had significant investment in the 1970s and 1980s, but we’re making it a modern propulsion solution for the fleet today.” The expert called the new rocket “combat-credible technology.” “We are working to refine its range, endurance, and targeting capabilities,” he added.