Texas-based companies will design and produce next generation weapon systems and manufacturing technology
GARLAND, TX (April 12, 2021) – Lonestar Future Weapons announced today a strategic partnership with composite-cased ammunition manufacturer True Velocity to leverage the two companies’ substantial expertise in R&D, precision manufacturing, quality control and production efficiency.
The announcement also signals the execution of a post-development phase strategy by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems and Lonestar Future Weapons in their bid for the U.S. Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) program, allowing the strategic partners to ensure the efficient fulfillment of the best overall weapon system to the warfighter.
Lonestar Future Weapons will assume the prime contractor role in the final stage of the NGSW weapons system submission, focused on manufacturing the advanced weapons required to meet or exceed all standards set forth by the U.S. Army. True Velocity will continue to serve as an ammunition subcontractor responsible for the provision of its advanced 6.8TVCM composite-cased cartridge. Together, Lonestar Future Weapons and True Velocity will develop additional next-generation weapons and ammunition solutions, targeting forthcoming force modernization contracts.
Lonestar Future Weapons is led by a team that includes third-generation American manufacturers with deep experience in the aerospace and defense industries. Chief among them is Automatic Products Corporation, an AS9100:2015 Rev D-registered manufacturer of high-precision machined and assembled components. Established in 1957, APC operates out of a 118,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility in Garland, Texas.
“We are going to bring weapons systems to market that fire the most advanced, accurate and reliable ammunition available, and we’re going to build them here in America,” said Craig Etchegoyen, chairman of Lone Star Future Weapons. “Our speed-to-manufacturing and domestic production will undoubtedly enhance the growth of the defense industrial base in the U.S.”
“True Velocity composite-cased ammunition represents a paradigm shift in terms of what is possible with internal ballistics,” said Kevin Boscamp, chairman and CEO of True Velocity. “Our strategic partnership with Lone Star Future Weapons and APC to design and optimize future weapons around our ammunition represents an unprecedented advancement in defense innovation that provides our warfighters with an unfair advantage on the battlefield.”
Current production includes a semi-automatic rifle and an automatic rifle designed to shoot True Velocity’s proprietary 6.8mm composite-cased ammunition. Lone Star Future Weapons and True Velocity also plan to develop a lightweight medium machine gun, as well as commercially available products in the future.