Continuous Composites and Aurora Flight Sciences Advance Launched Effect Structures Under U.S. Army SBIR

Continuous Composites (CCI), a leader in advanced composite manufacturing, has been awarded a U.S. Army Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project in collaboration with Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing Company, to develop next-generation fuselage structures for launched effects. The project, which originated as a Navy-funded initiative, was successfully transitioned to the Army following the completion of Phase One and is now entering Phase Two with a $2 million contract.

The initiative focuses on enhancing the structural integrity of systems designed to be launched from canisters—similar to missile deployment systems—and aims to set new performance benchmarks for these air-launched platforms. Aurora is providing critical flight load data and geometric designs, which Continuous Composites will use to develop optimized fuselage structures through its patented CF3D® technology.

Leveraging its expertise in fiber steering and topology optimization, CCI will engineer lightweight, high-performance fuselage designs that maximize internal volume, directly increasing payload capacity without compromising overall performance. This innovative approach reimagines internal architecture, using less material while embedding greater strength into the design, reducing weight and improving efficiency for mission-critical aerospace applications.

“This collaboration represents a powerful convergence of aerospace innovation and cutting-edge manufacturing technology,” said Steve Starner, CEO of Continuous Composites. “By pairing Aurora’s flight systems expertise with our CF3D technology, we are pushing the limits of what’s possible in the development of launched effect structures, delivering more agile, functional, and cost-effective solutions for defense applications.”

The SBIR contract marks a pivotal step in scaling CF3D for high-performance defense applications, positioning Continuous Composites as a strategic supplier of lightweight, rapidly deployable aerospace solutions to the Department of Defense. This funding validates the potential of CF3D to revolutionize structural components for launched effects and other aerospace technologies.

About Continuous Composites
Continuous Composites is redefining composite manufacturing with CF3D, its patented Continuous Fiber 3D Printing technology. By combining advanced materials, fiber steering, and automated manufacturing, CF3D delivers lightweight, high-performance structures with unmatched manufacturing agility—enabling new capabilities across aerospace, defense, and UAV sectors.

About Aurora Flight Sciences
Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing Company, advances the future of flight by developing and applying innovations across aircraft configurations, autonomous systems, propulsion technologies, and manufacturing processes. With a passionate and agile team, Aurora delivers solutions to its customers’ toughest challenges while meeting high standards of safety and quality.

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