Machina Labs Selected by Department of War to Build LUCAS Airframes and Deploy Two Edge Factories

Machina Labs has been selected as part of the U.S. Department of War's Organic Industrial Base Modernization Challenge to develop and qualify a RoboCrafted airframe for a LUCAS-class aircraft and deploy two pilot expeditionary robotic factories, the company said in a Business Wire announcement on November 6, 2026. Machina called the program the largest single award in its history.

Inside Machina's LUCAS Airframe Program

LUCAS stands for low-cost uncrewed combat attack system, a type of Class 3 unmanned aircraft system. The work is led by Machina's defense subsidiary, Machina Bellator, and starts at Machina's Los Angeles facilities with development and qualification of the metal-based airframe. Machina will then deploy two Edge Factories, described as localized, rapidly deployable production sites, to manufacture airframes closer to the point of need.

Each pilot Edge Factory will initially center on a containerized RoboCraftsman manufacturing cell supported by forward-deployed engineers, software and complementary production equipment. Powered by Machina's RoboForming technology, the factories can manufacture metal structures directly from digital geometry without dies or hard tooling and deploy with minimal site preparation. Machina said the Edge Factories can produce a family of mission-specific drone designs from a single production cell.

"Producing low-cost systems at scale requires a manufacturing model that can move as quickly as mission requirements change," said Ed Mehr, founder and CEO of Machina. "This program brings our 'build anything, anywhere' mission to life by connecting adaptable UAS design with flexible production capacity closer to the point of need."

The program builds on a UAS manufacturing workflow Machina developed with nTop, spanning parametric design, automated engineering analysis, robotic forming and final assembly. Machina has since used the same approach to manufacture and fly a UAS demonstrator, completing the assembled structure just weeks after final design lock. In August 2026, Assemblymag reported that Machina received a qualification contract from Lockheed Martin for its AI-enabled manufacturing platform, the first time such technology had advanced to qualification for a defense missile system.

Machina Labs' Defense Funding and Certification

Machina Labs develops AI-guided robotic manufacturing systems that produce complex metal structures without dies or molds, selling its RoboCraftsman platform to aerospace, defense and automotive customers. According to akta.pro company records, Machina closed a $124 million Series C in February 2026 led by Woven Capital with Lockheed Martin Ventures, Balerion Space Ventures and Strategic Development Fund, bringing cumulative funding above $160 million and funding a 200,000-sq-ft intelligent factory housing up to 50 RoboCraftsman cells. The same records show Machina achieved CMMC Level 2 certification in January 2026 following a C3PAO assessment, and has secured more than $14 million in defense contract awards, including U.S. Air Force Rapid Sustainment Office contracts, an AFRL multiyear program and an AFWERX TACFI contract worth $1.6 million.

Where the Machina Bellator Work Begins

The company said development and qualification of the airframe will begin at its Los Angeles facilities before the two Edge Factories are deployed. Machina was established in 2019 and is headquartered in Los Angeles; its website describes the RoboCraftsman platform as combining robotics, machine learning and RoboForming technology for software-defined manufacturing at production scale.