Titomic (ASX: TTT) lands U.S. defense contract, advances cold spray in Huntsville

Titomic Limited (ASX: TTT) has secured a USD 1.7 million Early Manufacturing Development contract with a major U.S. defense prime contractor, marking a critical step in its U.S. expansion strategy and further validation of its cold spray additive manufacturing capabilities. The contract, which will be executed at Titomic’s Huntsville facility, aligns the Australian-based company directly with next-generation defense production priorities.

The announcement comes within weeks of another significant milestone: the successful hot fire test of a solid rocket motor thrust chamber manufactured using Titomic’s cold spray process for a separate U.S. aerospace and defense client. Together, the developments signal a potentially pivotal moment for Titomic as it seeks to position its proprietary Titomic Kinetic Fusion process as a fast, scalable alternative to conventional defense manufacturing methods.

How does Titomic’s cold spray technology aim to solve defense supply chain bottlenecks?

At the heart of Titomic’s strategy is its cold spray additive manufacturing process, which operates without melting metal feedstock. This results in reduced thermal distortion, faster deposition rates, and the ability to manufacture high-strength, near-net-shape metal parts without traditional casting or machining delays. For a U.S. defense industrial base under pressure to deliver faster, more resilient supply chains, this capability presents clear appeal.

The Early Manufacturing Development contract now underway is designed to establish and validate scalable manufacturing pathways for mission-critical components, particularly in areas where legacy production timelines have proven insufficient for modern defense readiness requirements. According to Titomic, its solution is optimized to compress development cycles and address long-standing capacity constraints in the defense supply chain.

While Titomic has not disclosed the identity of its defense customer, the location of the contract in Huntsville—home to key U.S. Army and aerospace installations—suggests strategic proximity to the Department of Defense’s most active procurement zones.

What did the rocket thrust chamber hot fire test reveal about material performance?

The recent hot fire test of a rocket thrust chamber—produced using Titomic’s Kinetic Fusion process—offers more than symbolic validation. It demonstrated the component’s structural integrity and thermal resilience under extreme conditions, exceeding performance thresholds required for missile propulsion systems. Notably, Titomic delivered the component just weeks after order placement, reinforcing its narrative around accelerated timelines and localized manufacturing in the U.S.

The test was conducted in collaboration with a major U.S. aerospace prime, which aligns with the company’s broader push into propulsion system components and next-generation defense articles. Titomic claims this validation opens the door to further engagements in solid rocket motor manufacturing and even in-service rocket engine repair—applications where repairability, turnaround time, and precision matter more than ever.

In cold spray technology, the ability to build or restore complex geometries without introducing thermal damage makes it particularly suitable for sensitive propulsion components. That is a distinct competitive advantage over traditional additive processes like laser powder bed fusion or directed energy deposition, which require post-processing or heat treatment.

How is Titomic’s U.S. defense strategy evolving under new leadership?

Under the leadership of Titomic USA President Dr. Patti Dare and Chief Executive Officer Jim Simpson, the company appears to be tightening its focus on U.S. defense growth corridors. Dr. Dare emphasized that the EMD contract underscores the strategic relevance of Titomic’s platform in breaking through production bottlenecks and delivering critical assets on timelines that match operational requirements.

This positioning plays directly into defense modernization efforts by the U.S. Department of Defense and allied nations, which are actively seeking ways to build resilient, distributed manufacturing ecosystems. The decision to place production for this EMD contract in Huntsville suggests Titomic is not just exporting its technology but actively embedding itself in the U.S. industrial base.

Simpson’s comments on the rocket motor milestone reinforce a broader ambition: to demonstrate that cold spray additive manufacturing is not just an R&D experiment, but a deployable, production-grade tool for aerospace and missile system primes.

What does this mean for the competitive landscape in defense manufacturing?

Defense primes are increasingly under pressure to rethink their reliance on slow, centralized, and capital-intensive manufacturing infrastructure. Emerging technologies like cold spray offer a path to additive manufacturing that is more tolerant of materials variability, more environmentally efficient, and more compatible with field-deployable production systems.

Titomic is not the only player in cold spray, but it remains among the few attempting to commercialize the technology at industrial scale. U.S. defense players such as Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin have shown intermittent interest in cold spray applications, but the integration of this technique into full-rate production programs remains a frontier space. If Titomic can consistently meet quality and throughput targets across multiple projects, it may carve out a defensible niche in a highly competitive sector.

At the same time, execution risk remains significant. Scaling cold spray to meet the rigorous documentation, repeatability, and supply assurance required by defense primes involves more than just material science. Titomic will need to demonstrate traceability, digital thread integration, and real-time monitoring at levels that meet—or exceed—Department of Defense and NATO procurement standards.

How does this expand Titomic’s commercial and geopolitical relevance?

For an Australian company, securing direct defense work with top-tier U.S. primes is both a commercial breakthrough and a geopolitical statement. It aligns with ongoing Five Eyes cooperation around defense industrial base resilience and localization of critical supply chains. Titomic’s ability to operate within the U.S. market, using local facilities and local hires, positions it as a friendly and interoperable supplier in an increasingly sensitive security environment.

It also reflects a broader shift in advanced manufacturing procurement, where primes are more willing to engage with smaller, specialized partners that can fill specific capability gaps. In this case, the gap is rapid metal component production—especially where legacy casting or forging options are too slow, costly, or risk-prone.

The success of these contracts could serve as case studies in how additive manufacturing firms move from prototyping to full-scale program participation. For investors and policymakers, this marks a critical inflection point not just for Titomic, but for cold spray additive manufacturing’s standing in defense modernization.

Key takeaways on what this means for Titomic, its partners, and the defense industry

• Titomic Limited has secured a USD 1.7 million Early Manufacturing Development contract with a leading U.S. defense prime, to be executed in Huntsville, Alabama.

• The contract aims to develop fast, scalable cold spray-based production pathways for next-gen defense components, addressing industrial base constraints.

• A recent hot fire test of a Titomic-built rocket thrust chamber exceeded structural and thermal benchmarks, validating the company’s process for aerospace use.

• Titomic’s cold spray technology offers reduced lead times, minimal thermal distortion, and production flexibility for complex metal parts.

• U.S. expansion is being led by Titomic USA President Dr. Patti Dare, with an explicit focus on defense primes and proximity to key military installations.

• Success in these early-stage contracts could unlock further opportunities in propulsion system repair, missile manufacturing, and localized production for defense.

• The company’s approach aligns with broader U.S. goals around supply chain resilience, manufacturing agility, and defense-industrial partnerships.

• Execution risk remains, particularly in meeting documentation, scalability, and repeatability requirements for full-rate defense programs.