The US Department of Defense has awarded the US company IperionX a contract under the SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) Phase III program. The aim is to provide low-cost, domestically produced titanium components for safety-critical applications. The contract is structured as “Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity” (IDIQ) and allows for individual call-offs up to a total value of 99 million US dollars. Funding is provided on a project-specific basis through various agencies within the Department of Defense.
Phase III SBIR contracts are designed to commercially exploit previously proven technologies and do not require re-bidding. In this case, titanium is used, which IperionX produces from recycled material or low-grade ore using its own processes. The focus of the first project phases is on the production of high-strength titanium fastening elements, such as those used in aviation technology and armored systems. The components will be produced at the company’s own production campus in Virginia.
The order is part of a larger strategy by the US government to increasingly extract and process critical raw materials domestically. Titanium is considered a key material, particularly for the defense and aerospace industries. The USA currently imports a significant proportion of its requirements, which entails geopolitical dependencies. Support for domestic manufacturers such as IperionX is intended to stabilize this supply situation in the medium term.
Anastasios (Taso) Arima, CEO of IperionX, explains: “Securing this Phase III contract is a key milestone for IperionX. It validates the capabilities of our technologies and underscores the Department of Defense’s commitment to building an all-American titanium supply chain. We look forward to providing mission-critical components that are lighter, stronger and more cost-effective while reducing dependence on international supply chains.”
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