Philadelphia, PA — Aug. 25, 2026 — Firehawk today announced that it has been selected to receive funding through the Department of War’s (DOW) Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program to expand domestic production of advanced thermoplastic propellants and accelerate readiness for the M1128 155mm base bleed system.

Propellant production remains one of the most significant bottlenecks in U.S. munitions manufacturing. Current legacy cast-and-cure processes are slow, labor-intensive, and difficult to scale at the levels required for DOW’s modern operational needs. Firehawk’s program directly addresses this challenge through a 22–month, $24 million prototype effort designed to deliver a rapid, scalable, and cost-effective propellant manufacturing capacity.

The initiative encompasses four coordinated lines of effort focused on establishing a domestic thermoplastic propellant capability anchored on the M1128 155mm base bleed system. The program will be executed at Firehawk’s Great Plains Arsenal in Lawton, Oklahoma.

The Firehawk contract is expected to deliver:

  • 740,000 lbs. per year of thermoplastic propellant production, with installed capacity scalable to exceed 3.1 million lbs. per year
  • Production readiness for M1128 155mm base bleed systems
  • A new domestic source of thermoplastic propellant, reducing dependence on legacy manufacturing processes
  • Expanded industrial base capacity using advanced manufacturing technologies

To support this initiative, Firehawk expects to invest $70 million in capital, with an additional $22M from Oklahoma plus the awarded IBAS funding award totaling $24 million. Firehawk’s Great Plains Arsenal in Lawton, Okla. is expected to commission early in 2027. Firehawk is projected to be the third largest producer of propellant and largest producer of artillery motors in the country once the Great Plains Arsenal is online.

“This investment strengthens the U.S. munitions industrial base at a critical moment,” said Firehawk Co-Founder and CEO Will Edwards. “Our propellant manufacturing capability not only resolves a major bottleneck, but also modernizes and scales production for some of the War Department’s highest–priority munitions.”

About Firehawk

Firehawk is an end-to-end energetics company, revolutionizing the supply chain to fuel the future of defense to deter and win tomorrow’s wars. We build rocket motors powered by our proprietary propellant manufacturing process, which is faster and more cost effective, with the ability to manufacture and distribute almost anywhere in the world. Firehawk designs its products at its Dallas headquarters, is building a 340-acre production facility in Lawton, Oklahoma, has a DCMA-rated integration facility in Crawford, Mississippi and performs static fire and flight tests at two facilities in West Texas, including a 30-square-mile launch range. For more information, visit www.firehawkaerospace.com

About the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy (OASW(IBP))

The OASW(IBP), which manages the IBAS program, works with domestic and international partners to forge and sustain a robust, secure, and resilient industrial base enabling the warfighter, now and in the future.