On October 8, 2026, ASTRO America, a U.S. applied science and technology research organization, announced the signing of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Northrop Grumman, the InSPIRE Institute at Florida State University, and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Air Combat Command Mission Effectiveness Division, with total investment of nearly $9 million. The goal is to apply additive and advanced manufacturing technologies to munitions production. Under the DART (Design for Affordable and Rapid Throughput) program, the collaboration will evaluate and deploy advanced manufacturing technologies to reduce the production and qualification costs of subsonic missile airframes and components. Technologies involved include additive solid deposition, novel casting, and powder bed fusion (PBF). Work will take place at a newly built advanced production laboratory near Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The Gray Wolf missile system will serve as the demonstration platform—a system jointly developed by Northrop Grumman and AFRL, designed with a flexible, open architecture to minimize unit cost. The agreement also involves mechanical, thermal, and aerodynamic testing and evaluation, aiming to enhance the resilience of the U.S. defense industrial base through low-cost, high-throughput subsonic munitions manufacturing. Value for powder purchasers: ① The explicit introduction of powder bed fusion in the defense munitions sector will create new validation and procurement demand for military-grade superalloy and titanium alloy powders; ② The DART program's emphasis on high-throughput manufacturing makes qualification processes and opportunities for entry into the military powder supply chain worth monitoring; ③ Follow how subsequent milestones of the Gray Wolf program guide the selection of PBF powder grades.