Contract Award: Firestorm Labs (San Diego, California) – $18,000,000

Firestorm Labs, San Diego, California, was awarded a maximum $18,000,000 Small Business Innovation Research II for the Firestorm Expeditionary Manufacturing Cell and associated Manufactured Hardware. This contract provides for development of the xCell system to enable mass production of low-cost, autonomous small Unmanned Aircraft Systems, demonstrate production capability, and provide data to support future system verification, training, operation, and product support.  Work will be performed at San Diego, California and is expected to be completed by Oct. 21, 2027. This contract was a sole source acquisition. Fiscal year 2025 research and development funds in the amount of $9,000,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Asymmetric Capabilities, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. (FA8629-26-C-B001) (Awarded Oct. 20, 2025)