Insider Brief:
- X-Bow Systems Inc (X-Bow) announced that the innovation engine for the Department of the Air Force, AFWERX, has selected the company for a Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) award.
- The award secures up to US $60 million between government funding, private investment, and matching Small Business Innovation Research funds.
- The company will focus on rapidly produced, low-cost solid rocket motors using X-Bow’s proprietary advanced manufacturing technology.
PRESS RELEASE — Albuquerque, New Mexico / April 26, 2023 / PRNewswire / — X-Bow Systems Inc (X-Bow) announced today that the innovation engine for the Department of the Air Force, AFWERX, has selected the company for a Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) award. The award secures up to $60 million between government funding, private investment, and matching Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funds. The funding will extend X-Bow’s previous and existing work with the U.S. Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) at Edwards Air Force Base. The work will focus on rapidly produced, low-cost solid rocket motors (SRMs) using X-Bow’s proprietary advanced manufacturing technology and culminate in a flight test series.
“We are thrilled to be selected and funded for this STRATFI award. We further see the award as a strong signal from our U.S. Government partners for the need of X-Bow’s solid rocket technology and SRM production capabilities in both the DoD and commercial industry,” says X-Bow Systems’ Chief Revenue Officer, Maureen Gannon.
X-Bow is a new, non-traditional, small business producer and supplier of SRMs, suborbital and orbital launch services and defense technologies. It further leads the market with patent-pending innovations of Additively Manufactured Solid Propellants (AMSP) for solid rocket motors.
Recent reports have noted a consolidation in the solid rocket motor industry from six to just two domestic manufacturers. This has created significant cost and lead time increases, along with an inability to deliver SRMs in the quantities needed to support industry plans and national defense needs. X-Bow’s market entry and STRATFI selection is well timed to fill this domestic manufacturing and national security need.
SOURCE: X-Bow Systems
Featured image: Rocket Launch. Credit: X-Bow Systems
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