The U.S. Army is evaluating a new manufacturing approach that could speed up missile production while reducing costs. Continuous Composites Inc. has secured a multi-year contract to assess how its CF3D (Continuous Fiber 3D) manufacturing technology can improve the production of components used in current and future precision strike systems.

The project brings together the U.S. Army DEVCOM Aviation and Missile Center, the Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) program, and America Makes. The effort supports broader Department of Defense initiatives to identify scalable production methods that can strengthen domestic manufacturing of advanced defense systems.

Scaling composite production

Continuous Composites will examine how its CF3D process and fiber-steered design capabilities can support the Precision Strike Missile architecture. The company will evaluate applications for nose cones, fins, leading edges, bulkheads, and other high-performance structures that require precision and durability.

Conventional manufacturing methods for these parts can limit production rates and introduce consistency challenges. The company aims to establish a repeatable process that improves throughput while maintaining the performance standards required for aerospace and defense applications.

The program also focuses on reducing production variability and strengthening supply chains. Those improvements could help manufacturers transition advanced designs into larger-scale production while supporting a wider range of aerospace and missile requirements.

Advanced manufacturing effort

CF3D combines continuous fiber reinforcement with automated manufacturing to produce complex composite structures. Continuous Composites says the process can simplify production while creating lightweight parts for demanding aerospace applications.

Steve Starner, chief executive officer of Continuous Composites, said the company is focused on addressing manufacturing challenges involving high-performance and high-temperature materials. He said the goal is to reduce program risk and improve system capability while supporting future defense production requirements. “We believe our technology provides game-changing capabilities to the U.S. industrial base,” Starner said. He added that the company is working to position customers for scalable production aligned with Department of Defense priorities.

Broader defense applications

The latest contract expands a growing portfolio of defense manufacturing projects for the company. Continuous Composites is also working with Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing company, under a separate U.S. Army Small Business Innovation Research program to develop next-generation fuselage structures for launched effects platforms after the effort transitioned from the Navy.

That project entered its second phase with a $2 million contract and uses CF3D manufacturing, fiber steering, and topology optimization to develop lightweight fuselage structures with greater internal volume and payload capacity. Engineers are seeking to improve structural performance while reducing material use and overall weight.

The company is also advancing composite manufacturing through a $1.25 million contract awarded under the AFWERX Manufacturing Challenge. The project focuses on next-generation joining and stiffening approaches for aerospace structures using CF3D’s automated fiber steering, rapid UV curing, and digitally optimized production process.

Researchers are evaluating whether the technology can create load-bearing stiffeners that are bonded onto composite panels or integrated directly during fabrication. The work addresses a longstanding challenge in lightweight airframe design by increasing structural strength and stability without adding unnecessary weight.

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