RISE awarded contract to modernize U.S. air force equipment

RISE Robotics announces it has been selected by AFWERX for a Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) contract in the amount of $1.25 million focused on development of highly efficient and precise electric munitions handlers to address the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF). The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the SBIR process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution. The DAF began offering the Open Topic SBIRprogram in 2018 which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded. Beginning in early 2020, RISE Robotics started working on a series of projects aimed at improving operational efficiency with innovative and energy efficient products. With this latest contract award having been awarded on July 14, 2023, RISE Robotics has been provided the opportunity to continue its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America in a reliable, safe and energy efficient manner.

RISE Robotics CEO, Arron Acosta comments, “We are honored to expand the number of projects we are working with the USAF to bring efficient and capable RISE Robotics machine technology to warfighters and to help facilitate the modernization, efficiency and safety of the equipment they use."

“AFWERX uses the Small Business Innovation Research program to mobilize tens of thousands of innovators in the private sector to solve Department of the Air Force problems,” says Col. Elliott Leigh, AFWERX director and chief commercialization officer for the DAF. “Collaborating with companies such as RISE Robotics is necessary to unleash American ingenuity and forge an innovation ecosystem that delivers disruptive air capabilities.”

“The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.”

Machines incorporating RISE Robotics reduce energy consumption and emissions using the patented RISE Cylinder (US Patent 11255416, Patent Pending: WO2019/014259), This technology is a fluid-free, electromechanical alternative to hydraulic cylinders. Internal testing at RISE Robotics demonstrated the ability to deliver hydraulic-like forces at unprecedented efficiency, precision, speed, and weight. In this testing RISE Cylinder have used up to 90% less energy than hydraulic cylinders in similar applications.

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