Fusion Start-Up Wins Air Force SBIR Contract to Prototype Lower Cost Nuclear Effects Testing

Fuse also welcomes Major General Aaron M. Prupas, USAF (Ret.) to its Advisory Board

PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Fuse -- an innovative company delivering engineering breakthroughs related to fusion power -- today announced that it has been selected for an AFWERX Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to address the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force related to nuclear effects testing.

"Fuse is delivering fusion engineering breakthroughs at lower cost and faster speed than others," said JC Btaiche, Founder and CEO of Fuse. "Our goal is to partner with government agencies to ensure that the United States remains the global leader on fusion. We are proud to partner with the Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX to efficiently and cost-effectively offer nuclear effects testing to provide Air Force operators greater tactical flexibility and survivability."

The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) 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 SBIR/STTR program in 2018 which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded, and in January 2024, Fuse will start its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States.

This contract allows Fuse direct interaction with the Department of the Air Force, the Air Force Operational Test Community, Strategic Systems, and other key stakeholders to gather additional requirements for the "high-end fight."

"Economic security and national security go hand-in-hand. On the energy front, Fuse will keep us in the lead in both," said retired Major General Aaron M. Prupas, USAF, who recently joined Fuse as a member of its Advisory Board. "Fuse brings much needed nuclear effects testing to an underserved market, particularly given the dramatic growth in the commercial and government space."

With several advanced pulsed-power prototypes already demonstrated, Fuse will look to prototype additional solutions in the electro-magnetic spectrum for nuclear effects testing and system hardening while lowering costs and providing Air Force operators greater tactical flexibility and survivability.   

About Fuse
Fuse's mission is to accelerate the world's transition to fusion energy by securing clean, reliable, global energy abundance while ensuring U.S. and our Allied partners competitiveness globally through fusion power and nuclear effects testing.

About AFRL
The Air Force Research Laboratory is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 12,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. For more information, visit afresearchlab.com.

About AFWERX
As the innovation arm of the DAF and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory, AFWERX brings cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing challenges of the DAF. AFWERX employs approximately 325 military, civilian and contractor personnel at six hubs and sites executing an annual $1.4 billion budget. Since 2019, AFWERX has executed 4,697 contracts worth more than $2.6 billion to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability. For more information, visit: afwerx.com.

Press Contact:
Matthew Bowen
Vrge Strategies
[email protected]

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SOURCE Fuse Energy Technologies