X-Bow Systems Inc. (X-Bow), a non-traditional small business advanced supplier of solid rocket motors (SRMs) and defense technologies, today announced award of a follow-on contract from the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) for its Rapid Energetics and Advanced Rocket Manufacturing (RE-ARM) program. The original Pathfinder I contract, awarded in March 2021, was part of X-Bow’s groundbreaking, low-cost advanced manufacturing approach to solid rocket motors and culminated in a 15-month delivery and demonstration of a simulated-energetics factory at Edwards Air Force Base, California in July of 2022. The program was hugely successful for both X-Bow and AFRL in demonstrating the foundational technology to provide low-cost advanced manufacturing solutions to solid rocket motor production. AFRL is following up the original contract with a new award to X-Bow Systems to continue developing the technology through an advanced, fully energetic advanced manufacturing capability called the “Gen-0” and housed at X-Bow’s development facilities.
“X-Bow Systems’ Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) manufacturing technology is a central component AFRL’s Rapid Energetics & Advanced Rocket Manufacturing (RE-ARM) program. Our continuing partnership with X-Bow will be critical to our ability to address wide-ranging urgent needs related to SRMs, including acute stockpile and manufacturing shortfalls for current and future precision-guided munitions as well as developing ready-to-launch vehicle architectures for responsive access to space. We look forward to leveraging the strengths of both AFRL and X-Bow to dramatically reduce development timelines while demonstrating the technologies needed to impact national priorities,” said Dr. Shawn Phillips, Chief, Rocket Propulsion Division at Air Force Research Laboratory.
“We are excited about the next phase of development of our advanced manufacturing technology with AFRL’s continued support for X-Bow. We will be delivering an in-house capability to AFRL and pioneering incorporation of USAF digital engineering environments as part of the effort,” said Jason Hundley, X-Bow CEO.
“The collaboration between X-Bow and AFRL has been extremely effective in leveraging our technology and innovative engineering team to provide the country with a much-needed capability. The RE-ARM Gen-0 system is going to change the state of the industry and our ability to be responsive,” said Jill Marsh, Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Programs Lead at X-Bow Systems Inc.
X-Bow’s Pathfinder I demonstrated the viability of employing a compact Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) “factory” that combines innovative design, automation, and advanced manufacturing techniques. The greatly reduced footprint increases flexibility in the manufacturing and fielding of rockets to specific missions. The X-Bow approach removes many design constraints and delays that are inherent to the current methods of producing SRMs. X-Bow’s design and modular manufacturing techniques, together with state-of-the-art automation and digital engineering, enable affordable rocket propulsion anytime, anywhere.
The Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 11,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development.
X-Bow Systems is disrupting the aerospace industry with innovative and cost-effective advanced manufacturing of energetics for the solid rocket motor and launch vehicle market. X-Bow is also designing and building a suite of modular solid rocket motors and small launch vehicles for both orbital and suborbital launch services. X-Bow is led by CEO Jason Hundley, Chairman Mark Kaufman, CTO Max Vozoff, CRO Maureen Gannon, General Counsel John Leary and a growing team of seasoned industry veterans and new space entrepreneurs. Headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, X-Bow has additional presence in California, Alabama, Colorado, Texas, and Washington, DC. X-Bow is actively recruiting talented and determined individuals to join its team.
