Arris Composites Lands AFWERX SBIR for Thermoplastic Composites

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November 19, 2025 Materials 9659

Phase II award supports development of lightweight aerospace structures; Additive Molding process to be applied in Air Force platforms

ARRIS Composites has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Direct-to-Phase II contract from AFWERX to develop high-rate thermoplastic composite molding technologies for aerospace structures. The contract supports efforts to advance lightweight, high-strength structural components for next-generation U.S. Air Force aircraft and unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

The award is part of the Department of the Air Force’s Open Topic SBIR/STTR program, which streamlines contract processes for small businesses and accelerates the transition of emerging technologies into defense applications. ARRIS began work under the contract on Sept. 23, 2025.

The Berkeley, California-based company is applying its Additive Molding manufacturing approach, which combines software, materials engineering, and continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastics to produce high-performance parts at scale. While ARRIS has deployed the technology across various sectors, including consumer electronics, automotive, and industrial products, this contract represents a focused push into the aerospace and defense sectors.

AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Air Force and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), reports it has awarded over 10,400 contracts totaling more than $7.24 billion since 2019. The SBIR Phase II contract with ARRIS is intended to accelerate the transition of novel composite manufacturing capabilities into operational readiness for military platforms.