The U.S. Air Force Sustainment Center awarded Aerometals, Inc., a small business aerospace component manufacturer based in El Dorado Hills, California, a definitive firm fixed-price contract valued at approximately $300K to manufacture Linear Actuating Cylinder Assemblies for the T-38 aircraft. The contract, awarded on March 18, 2025, with completion targeted for September 10, 2026, fulfills a Defense Logistics Agency Aviation requirement for 26 cylinder assemblies (National Stock Number 1650-00-723-1139) that operate the landing gear locking mechanism. The cylinders, which measure 5.66 inches long by 1.50 inches wide by 2.50 inches tall and weigh 3.25 lbs, are constructed from steel and aluminum. The procurement included first article testing requirements for two units to validate design and manufacturing compliance prior to full production delivery.
This contract represents a continuation of Aerometals' established role as a critical supplier to DLA Aviation for specialized aerospace components and spare parts. The company's contracting history demonstrates extensive experience manufacturing precision aircraft parts and assemblies for military platforms including the F-15, F-16, B-52, and T-7A aircraft. The solicitation was conducted without set-aside restrictions, allowing competition from all responsible sources, though the government indicated that manufacturing data for the item was not government-owned, requiring interested contractors to coordinate with the original equipment manufacturer during the proposal phase.