ASTRO America Executes Research Agreement to Advance Affordable, Rapid Missile Production
The Applied Science & Technology Research Organization of America (ASTRO America) today announced a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Northrop Grumman, Florida State University InSPIRE, and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Air Warfare Directorate, Mission Effects Division (AFRL/RAB) to apply advanced manufacturing methods to reduce the cost and time required to produce munitions and improve the resilience of the U.S. defense industrial base.
Under the CRADA, partners will assess, develop, and implement advanced manufacturing technologies to demonstrate affordable, high-throughput manufacturing of subsonic munitions. The Design for Affordable and Rapid Throughput (DART) initiative aims to drive down production and qualification costs for adaptable subsonic missile bodies and components by leveraging additive and advanced manufacturing approaches, including additive solid-state deposition, novel casting, and powder bed fusion technologies.
“ASTRO would not have brought this partnership to Northwest Florida without the steadfast support of Florida State University and the transformative investment from Triumph Gulf Coast in InSPIRE,” said Dr. Abdalla R. Nassar, Vice President and General Manager, ASTRO South. “Together, we’re building the collaborative environment necessary to drive faster, more affordable production for our military while driving regional economic growth.“
Nearly $9 Million Collaborative Investment Aims to Reduce Costs and Production Timelines While Strengthening the Defense Industrial Base
With technical support from Florida State University InSPIRE, the work will take place in a new, state-of-the-art production laboratory near Eglin Air Force Base in Northwest Florida. ASTRO will coordinate with InSPIRE on testing and evaluation of materials and subsystems, including mechanical, thermal, and aero testing. The collaboration with InSPIRE builds on the region’s growing role as a national center for manufacturing innovation, supported by Triumph Gulf Coast.
“Industry today is under extreme pressure to produce better products faster while de-risking innovation. ASTRO’s guidance in jump-starting our advanced manufacturing capabilities to fast-track research through production and rigorous testing to deliver real-world solutions is exceptional,” said FSU InSPIRE Executive Director, Drew Allen. “This agreement further illustrates our collective dedication to empowering regional industry and alliances, strengthening our national supply chain resilience, and delivering on national security imperatives.”
The Gray Wolf missile system was developed through collaboration between Northrop Grumman and the AFRL Munitions Directorate, now the AFRL Air Warfare Directorate, with a goal of minimizing per-unit cost. It leverages a flexible, open architecture designed to support a range of payloads and carriage across multiple U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy platforms.
Under DART, advanced and affordable manufacturing processes will be applied in the ASTRO/FSU InSPIRE center to Gray Wolf and may inform future approaches for other munition systems. These processes include additive manufacturing, casting, and subtractive methods intended to achieve affordable, high-throughput production.
Additional details on scope and milestones will be shared as the collaboration advances.
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release: distribution is unlimited. Case number AFRL-2026-1736
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About ASTRO America
The Applied Science and Technology Research Organization of America (ASTRO America) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, non-partisan Research Institute and Think Tank. It was established in 2018 to advance the public interest through manufacturing technology and policy. Led by manufacturing professionals with broad public and private sector experience, ASTRO America supports collaborations by government agencies and companies to address supply chain challenges in highly regulated industries, including aerospace and defense.
About FSU InSPIRE
The Institute for Strategic Partnerships, Innovation, Research, and Education (InSPIRE) is accelerating breakthroughs in aerospace and advanced manufacturing. At the core of this effort are dedicated partners working together to establish Northwest Florida as a national center of innovation, driving regional economic growth. InSPIRE is leading comprehensive workforce development initiatives for K-12 educators along the Gulf Coast of Florida to build the skilled talent that will support the region’s industrial growth. Advanced manufacturing facilities are in development for end-to-end production, aero-testing and immersive training in STEM. Local, regional, and national partners are embedding employees at InSPIRE, collaborating with researchers, FSU faculty, and business leaders to develop and productionize aerospace, defense, and energy solutions, while offering hands-on learning to students and aspiring engineers in Northwest Florida. FSU InSPIRE launched with an initial grant from Triumph Gulf Coast.
About AFRL Air Warfare Directorate
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is the Department of the Air Force’s (DAF) primary scientific research and development center and one of six centers within Air Force Materiel Command. AFRL is the DAF’s only organization wholly dedicated to leading the discovery, development and delivery of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace forces. The Air Warfare Directorate combines aerospace systems and munitions expertise to develop advanced air combat technologies that ensure advantage in the battlespace.