Beehive Industries awarded $29.7 million contract by U.S. Air Force for Frenzy engine family development

Beehive Industries, an American manufacturer of advanced propulsion systems for uncrewed aerial defense applications, today announced it has been awarded a $29.7 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to complete vehicle integration, flight testing, and qualification of the company’s 200 lbf Frenzy 8 engine—a pivotal step toward operational readiness and scalable production of Beehive’s flagship propulsion product.

The award also includes funding to advance Beehive’s 100 lbf Frenzy 6 engine, beginning with the manufacturing of a First Engine to Test (FETT) asset and options for further testing, vehicle integration, and flight demonstration.

The award, managed through the SOSSEC consortium, supports a Small Expendable Turbine (SET) — Family of Affordable Mass Munitions (FAMM) prototyping effort led by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC). The SET engine program is a critical component of the U.S. Air Force’s broader strategy to develop, produce, and qualify low-cost, disposable jet engines for uncrewed aerial systems and standoff systems. FAMM is a FY2026-focused, Pentagon-wide initiative designed to shift from high-cost, low-quantity weapons to a large-scale, cost-effective arsenal. Beehive uses additive manufacturing to produce low-cost jet engines at high speed, and its Frenzy engine is specifically designed for mass-produced munitions and swarm-class drones.

“Beehive is honored to partner with the U.S. Air Force in redefining the speed of defense. By harnessing additive manufacturing to collapse complex supply chains into scalable, 3D-printed propulsion, we are providing the ‘affordable mass’ essential to modern deterrence,” said Gordie Follin, Chief Product Officer at Beehive Industries. “This collaboration ensures our warfighters will have the high-volume, mission-ready capabilities they need to maintain a competitive edge in any theater.”

The award builds directly on Beehive’s achievements over the past year, during which the team validated the Frenzy 8 engine through ground testing and high-altitude testing in record time while demonstrating scalability. Amid ongoing ground testing, Beehive launched a “Pathfinder” program to validate production scalability and the results proved out Beehive’s path for mass engine production starting this year.

By balancing critical testing milestones with an aggressive production ramp-up, Beehive demonstrated its transition from a development-focused company to a production-ready propulsion provider.