Rocket Lab USA, Inc. ( RKLB ) shares are trading higher Monday following the announcement that the company will play a key role in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions $1.45 billion MACH-TB 2.0 contract.

What To Know: Kratos, a defense technology company, on Monday secured a five-year contract for Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed (MACH-TB) 2.0, a project designed to enhance the U.S. hypersonic flight testing infrastructure.

The initiative, established under the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering’s National Hypersonic Initiative 2.0, aims to bridge the gap between ground testing and full-scale hypersonic system testing, reducing risks and accelerating development.

Kratos will lead Task Area 1 of the MACH-TB 2.0 project, focusing on systems engineering, integration and testing. Rocket Lab will provide air launch services as part of a larger team that includes Leidos, Stratolaunch and other subcontractors. This effort will support the increased frequency of hypersonic flight tests needed for national security objectives.

Check This Out: EXCLUSIVE: Rocket Lab, Intuitive Machines, Redwire Or AST SpaceMobile? 33% Of Readers Pick This Space Stock For 2025

Kratos’ leadership emphasized the importance of the program in advancing affordable hypersonic technologies and highlighted the contract as the largest in the company’s history. The MACH-TB 2.0 program is expected to be a significant driver of future growth for Kratos, which also cited its existing hypersonic capabilities as a key factor in securing the contract.

"With the recent successes of our low-cost Erinyes Hypersonic Flyer and Zeus Solid Rocket Motors, Kratos is a leader in the testing and fielding of hypersonic systems. We are very excited to bring this unmatched expertise to the MACH-TB 2.0 program,” said Dave Carter, President of Kratos Defense and Rocket Support Services Division.

Rocket Lab shares are up nearly 200% over the past three months. The company reported better-than-expected financial results in mid-November and announced a multi-launch agreement with a confidential customer.

Rocket Lab guided for fourth-quarter revenue in the range of $125 million to $135 million. Rocket Lab is expected to report fourth-quarter earnings in February. Analysts currently expect the company to report a loss of 10 cents per share on revenue of $130.57 million, according to estimates from Benzinga Pro.

RKLB Price Action: Rocket Lab shares were up 1.03% at $29.02 at the time of writing, according to Benzinga Pro.

Read Next:

Pudgy Penguins Coin PENGU Surge Outperforms Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, Pepe: ‘One Of The Best For This Cycle,’ Trader Says

Image via Shutterstock.