HUNTSVILLE, Ala.—March 10, 2026—Aerobotix, an AS9100-certified robotics integrator for the aerospace and defense industries, announced today the award of a $1.2 million Direct to Phase II (DP2) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract from the U.S. Air Force. The funding will support the development and installation of a Robotic Scuff Sanding (RASS) System for the F-35 Lightning II fleet at Hill Air Force Base.

Scuff sanding is a surface preparation process that removes an aircraft’s existing topcoat while conditioning the surface for recoating. Recoating is essential to preserving the F-35’s low observable (LO) radar signature and keeping the fleet mission-ready, but maintenance facilities face a growing challenge: a shortage of skilled workers to meet demand. Labor shortages and safety concerns have created significant operational pressures, and inconsistent manual sanding puts aircraft quality and performance at risk. Automating the process is expected to cut scuff-sanding time in half, freeing technicians to focus on the other complex, high-value tasks.

“This is exactly the kind of technology that addresses real operational bottlenecks,” said Bret Benvenuti, Aerobotix project engineer for the F-35 DP2 SBIR. “Automation delivers consistency, reduces time and cost, and gets aircraft back into service faster. But the most rewarding aspect is working with the technicians who will operate these systems and seeing their enthusiasm for technology that genuinely improves their working conditions.”

The RASS System will incorporate closed-loop sanding, real-time surface measurement, and adaptive toolpath generation to achieve the consistent, in-tolerance material removal necessary on complex geometries—ensuring the repeatability and precision that manual processes cannot reliably deliver.

Under the Direct to Phase II award, Aerobotix will move straight into hardware development and testing on the F-35’s outer mold line (OML) areas, collaborating with Air Force personnel throughout to validate the system’s performance. The SBIR program is sponsored by AFWERX, a component of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).

Headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, Aerobotix is an innovative leader in robotic solutions for the aerospace and defense industries. The company specializes in the creation of cutting-edge automated robotic solutions for high-value, high-precision components, aircraft, and vehicles. Aerobotix has more than 170 robotic systems installed in the U.S. and abroad, providing exceptional results and savings for our clients.

Noel Geiger

Marketing Coordinator

noel.geiger@aerobotix.net