US Air Force awards AEVEX $18.5 million contract for 3D-printed autonomous OWA aircraft

The US Air Force has commissioned AEVEX Corp. to provide $18.5 million worth of autonomous unmanned aircraft for One Way Attack missions. Utilizing additive manufacturing, the Group 3 systems prioritize rapid scalability and cost-efficiency, signaling a strategic shift toward high-volume, 3D-printed aerial platforms in modern military operations.

AEVEX Corp. has secured an $18.5 million production agreement with the US Air Force to supply autonomous aircraft designed for One Way Attack (OWA) missions. The scope of the contract includes the delivery of Group 3 unmanned aerial systems (UAS) alongside dedicated field services and engineering support from the contractor. AEVEX Aerospace is a defense technology firm providing specialized airborne intelligence and unmanned flight solutions for government and military clients.

This procurement highlights an accelerating military reliance on additive manufacturing to overcome traditional aerospace production bottlenecks. By utilizing advanced 3D-printing processes, these Group 3 aircraft can be manufactured at scale with significantly reduced lead times. This approach addresses the increasing demand for "attritable" systems—affordable, high-performance platforms that can be deployed in high volumes without the prohibitive costs associated with conventional airframes. For the broader defense sector, this move underscores a transition toward software-defined autonomy in aerial warfare.

The integration of autonomous frameworks within these systems is intended to lower the cognitive burden on operators while enhancing mission flexibility across diverse environments. For investors and decision-makers, this contract validates the commercial viability of 3D-printed defense hardware, suggesting that future aerospace procurement will increasingly favor modular, rapidly fieldable designs over legacy manufacturing models.