Albany Engineered Composites Awarded $21.2 Million IBAS Contract to Advance Hypersonic and Solid Rocket Motor Thermal Protection Manufacturing

The 30-month award supports work toward domestic manufacturing capacity for hypersonic vehicles and solid rocket motors.

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New contract supports development and vertically integrated, scalable manufacturing capacity of carbon-carbon composite thermal protection systems for hypersonic vehicles and solid rocket motors.

ROCHESTER, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Albany Engineered Composites, a segment of Albany International Corp. (NYSE: AIN), announced today that its AEC Advanced Programs, Inc. business has received a new contract, with a total value of $21.2 million over the 30-month period of performance, through the U.S. government's Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program for Strengthening America's Manufacturing and Defense Industrial Base (SAMDIB).

The award, through the U.S. Army Contracting Command – Rock Island and Cornerstone Other Transaction Authority (OTA), supports the development of carbon-carbon composite thermal protection systems (TPS) for hypersonic vehicles and solid rocket motors (SRM). The effort focuses on advancing, scalable manufacturing capabilities for critical extreme-environment defense applications.

Albany will leverage its experience in advanced composite manufacturing, including 3D-woven, near-net-shape preforms and Resin Transfer Molding (RTM), together with carbon-carbon densification capabilities.

“Hypersonic systems and solid rocket motors place extraordinary demands on the material systems used and the manufacturing processes required to produce them,” said Chris Stone, president of Albany Engineered Composites. “This award brings together Albany's advanced composite expertise and production-focused capabilities to address an important challenge for the U.S. defense industrial base: establishing the manufacturing capacity required to support next-generation hypersonic and solid rocket motor systems at scale.”

The program focuses on establishing a vertically integrated production facility for carbon-carbon composite manufacturing, creating critical domestic industrial base capacity for the continued development and scalable production of cost-effective thermal protection solutions for hypersonic weapons and SRMs.

“Production readiness is a critical element of both hypersonic and solid rocket motor missions,” said Brent Stevenson, vice president, emerging markets & technology at Albany Engineered Composites. “Albany's proven experience in 3D-woven near-net-shape composite preforms and RTM provides a strong foundation for advancing scalable manufacturing solutions for these critical missions.”

The effort expands Albany's capabilities for extreme-environment applications, combining advanced materials technology with manufacturing infrastructure and production engineering. The program includes engineering studies, facility planning, supplier selection, procurement and installation of key manufacturing equipment and development of the infrastructure required to support carbon-carbon composite thermal protection system production.

Advancing Hypersonic and Solid Rocket Motor Manufacturing at Scale
Hypersonic vehicles and solid rocket motors operate in some of the most demanding aerospace and defense environments. Their thermal protection systems must withstand extreme conditions while also meeting increasingly important cost objectives with scalable production.

Through this IBAS effort, Albany applies its advanced composite manufacturing expertise to help strengthen the U.S. industrial base and establish the vertically integrated infrastructure needed to support future hypersonic and SRM production. The award reinforces Albany's commitment to advanced composite solutions for extreme environments and to expanding domestic manufacturing capabilities for critical aerospace and defense applications.

For more information, visit Albany Engineered Composites, on Facebook or on LinkedIn.

About Albany Engineered Composites
Albany Engineered Composites, a segment of Albany International Corp. (NYSE: AIN), designs and manufactures advanced engineered composite components for engine and airframe applications in commercial and military aircraft, missiles and unmanned vehicles. Albany’s specialty composite solutions enable current and next-generation aircraft to perform better while being more fuel efficient, cost effective and environmentally friendly.

About Albany International Corp.
Albany is a leading materials science developer and manufacturer of engineered components, using advanced materials processing and automation capabilities, with two core businesses:

• Machine Clothing is the world’s leading producer of custom-designed consumable belts, essential for the manufacture of paper, paperboard, tissue, and towel, as well as pulp, non-wovens and a variety of other industrial applications.
• Albany Engineered Composites is a growing designer and manufacturer of advanced materials-based engineered components for demanding aerospace applications, supporting both commercial and military platforms.

Albany International is headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, operates 25 facilities in 12 countries, employs approximately 5,700 people worldwide and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (Symbol AIN). Additional information about the Company and its products and services can be found at www.albint.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260929798994/en/

Media Contact:
Bryan Warren
Senior Marketing & Communications Manager
817-682-6786
bryan.warren@albaec.us

Investor Relations Contact:
Karen Blomquist
Director, Investor Relations
603-330-2461
karen.blomquist@albint.com

Source: Albany Engineered Composites

Key Terms

other transaction authority regulatory

Other transaction authority is a legal power that lets certain U.S. government agencies sign flexible, custom agreements for research, prototypes and limited production outside standard federal contracting rules. For investors, it matters because contracts awarded under this authority can produce faster, less bureaucratic revenue and bring new suppliers into government work, but they are often less transparent and can be smaller, shorter-term or harder to predict than traditional government contracts—like a bespoke order versus a catalog purchase.

resin transfer molding technical

Resin transfer molding is a manufacturing method for making strong, lightweight composite parts by placing dry reinforcing fibers (like cloth or mats) into a closed mold and then pumping liquid resin into the mold so it soaks the fibers and hardens. Think of it like filling a shaped sandwich of fabric with liquid glue that then sets into a rigid piece. It matters to investors because the process affects production speed, part quality, material costs, and scalability for companies that use composites in industries such as aerospace, automotive, and renewable energy.

carbon-carbon composite technical

A carbon-carbon composite is a lightweight, high-strength material made by weaving carbon fibers into a shape and then bonding them together with a carbon-rich matrix, producing a solid part that is mostly carbon. It matters to investors because it is used where extreme heat resistance, low weight, and durability are needed—so demand, production costs, and supply constraints can affect companies in aerospace, automotive, defense, and specialty manufacturing sectors.

thermal protection systems technical

Systems and materials designed to control temperature exposure and prevent damage to structures, components, or people by insulating against, absorbing, or shedding heat or cold. They include coatings, tiles, blankets, insulation layers and active cooling elements used across aerospace, automotive, electronics, industrial and building applications. Investors care because these systems affect product performance, safety, regulatory approval, manufacturing cost and market demand—like an insulating coat that keeps critical equipment within safe temperatures.