LoneStar Future Weapons

What LoneStar Future Weapons does

LoneStar Future Weapons is a Texas-based, privately-held defense technology company headquartered in Garland that designs next-generation weapons systems for the US military, primarily targeting the US Army's Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) program. The company's core products are the NGSW-R rifle (intended to replace the M4A1 carbine) and NGSW-AR automatic rifle (intended to replace the M249 SAW), both engineered to fire True Velocity's proprietary 6.8mm composite-cased ammunition. Underlying technology centers on short recoil impulse averaging operating systems, self-powered impulse averaging recoil-operated mechanisms with rotary locking bolts driven by bimodal cams, automated projectile firing architectures, and quick-release barrel change mechanisms — protected by six granted US patents assigned to the company.

The company's business model is hardware sales into US defense procurement channels, with revenue contingent on government contract awards through competitive programs such as NGSW prototype testing and evaluation. Manufacturing is executed through a strategic partnership with Automatic Products Corporation (APC), which operates an ISO 9001 certified 118,000 sq ft facility in Garland, Texas with a 90-person staff split across engineering/production, management, and quality. Ammunition compatibility is anchored by a co-development partnership with True Velocity, whose 250+ pending or issued patents on composite cartridge technology provide the lighter-weight, more logistically efficient round the weapons are optimized around. GTM is exclusively domestic, with a single named end customer (US Army) and direct enterprise field sales into Department of Defense programs. No consumer, international, or commercial law enforcement distribution channels are documented, and no revenue, funding, or valuation data is publicly disclosed.

Name

LoneStar Future Weapons

Legal name

LoneStar Future Weapons

Website

https://lonestarfutureweapons.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

LoneStar Future Weapons is a Garland, Texas-based private defense technology company that designs next-generation rifle and automatic rifle weapon systems — including short recoil impulse averaging platforms — for the US Army's NGSW program, manufactured via partner APC and optimized around True Velocity's composite-cased 6.8mm ammunition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Defense Weapons Systems (Military Firearms)

NAICS

Small Arms, Ordnance, and Ordnance Accessories Manufacturing (332994)

SIC

Ordnance & Accessories, (No Vehicles/Guided Missiles) (3480)

akta.pro primary industry

Turrets, Remote Weapon Stations (RWS) & Armament Integration (IMABAJAI)

Keywords

• Defense weapons systems
• Military firearms manufacturing
• Next generation squad weapons
• Composite ammunition integration
• Advanced weapon engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

Garland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Defense Weapons Systems Sales: Revenue generated from manufacturing and selling next-generation weapons systems to the US military and defense agencies through government contracts and programs such as the NGSW program

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

LoneStar Future Weapons designs, develops, and manufactures next-generation military weapons systems — specifically the NGSW-R rifle and NGSW-AR automatic rifle — for the U.S. Army's Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) program, with weapon platforms engineered around True Velocity's proprietary composite-cased 6.8mm ammunition. The company also holds multiple U.S. patents covering short recoil impulse averaging, self-powered impulse averaging recoil-operated mechanisms, automated projectile firing systems, and quick-release barrel mechanisms. Production is executed through a manufacturing partnership with Automatic Products Corporation (APC), which operates the only ISO 9001 certified weapons manufacturing facility in the U.S. (an 118,000 square-foot plant in Garland, Texas).

Product overview

LoneStar Future Weapons is a Texas-based advanced technology company focused on next-generation defense solutions. The company's product portfolio centers on weapons systems designed for the U.S. Army's Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) program, specifically the NGSW-R (Rifle) and NGSW-AR (Automatic Rifle) designed to fire True Velocity's proprietary composite-cased 6.8mm ammunition. The company holds multiple patents covering advanced weapon technologies including automated projectile firing systems, impulse averaging recoil operated machine guns, short recoil weapon systems, and quick-release barrel mechanisms. Manufacturing is handled through a strategic partnership with Automatic Products Corporation (APC), an ISO 9001 certified facility in Garland, Texas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NGSW-R (Next Generation Squad Weapon - Rifle) Next-generation rifle designed to replace the M4A1 carbine for close combat forces, part of the U.S. Army's NGSW program and engineered to fire True Velocity's proprietary composite-cased 6.8mm ammunition.
• NGSW-AR (Next Generation Squad Weapon - Automatic Rifle) Next-generation automatic rifle designed to replace the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) for close combat forces, combining machine-gun firepower with rifle precision and chambered for True Velocity's composite-cased 6.8mm ammunition as part of the U.S. Army NGSW program.
• Automated Projectile Firing Weapon System Patented automated weapon system architecture for projectile firing, representing one of the foundational weapon operating technologies underlying LoneStar Future Weapons' product portfolio.
• Self-Powered Impulse Averaging Recoil Operated Machine Gun Patented machine gun architecture featuring a rotary locking bolt driven by bimodal cams and self-powered impulse averaging recoil operation, providing a novel method of weapon operation.
• Short Recoil Impulse Averaging Weapon System Patented weapon system utilizing short recoil impulse averaging operating mechanism for enhanced accuracy and reduced recoil, applicable to the company's NGSW platforms.
• Weapon System with Short Recoil Impulse Averaging Operating Group Patented weapon system architecture incorporating a short recoil impulse averaging operating group, building on the company's core recoil-management IP portfolio.
• Quick Release Barrel Attaching and Detaching Mechanism Patented quick-release barrel mechanism enabling rapid barrel changes in the field, supporting operational flexibility for the company's weapons systems.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• True VelocitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership for designing and optimizing future weapons systems around True Velocity's proprietary composite-cased ammunition. True Velocity provides advanced composite cartridge technology with significant logistical advantages, while LoneStar Future Weapons develops weapon systems specifically optimized for this ammunition, representing an unprecedented advancement in defense innovation.
• Automatic Products Corporation (APC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufacturing partnership with APC, the only ISO 9001 certified manufacturing facility for weapons. APC operates a 118,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in Garland, Texas with 90 staff including 70 engineering and production personnel. APC provides manufacturing capabilities and multi-generational defense manufacturing expertise since 1957.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Sig Sauer: Sig Sauer directly competed with LoneStar in the US Army NGSW prototype program and ultimately won the prime contract for the XM5 rifle and XM250 automatic rifle. Both companies targeted the same close combat forces replacement opportunity with advanced weapon systems and ammunition solutions.
• Textron Systems: Textron Systems competed alongside LoneStar Future Weapons in the 2021 NGSW prototype testing, developing its own NGSW-R and NGSW-AR prototypes for the US Army. Both companies pursued the same squad weapons replacement opportunity with comparable use cases.
• FN America: FN America is a major manufacturer of military small arms including the M249 SAW platform that the NGSW-AR is designed to replace. As the incumbent supplier for several platforms LoneStar targets, FN is a direct comparable peer in military firearms.
• Colt's Manufacturing: Colt's Manufacturing is the original manufacturer of the M4/M16 platform that the NGSW-R is designed to replace. As the incumbent small arms supplier to the US military and a direct competitor in military rifle manufacturing, Colt is a highly comparable peer.
• Heckler & Koch: Heckler & Koch is a major military small arms manufacturer supplying armed forces worldwide, including US and allied militaries. As a competing military firearms manufacturer with proprietary weapon systems, H&K is a relevant comparable peer.
• Barrett Firearms: Barrett Firearms is a US-based manufacturer of military firearms and precision rifles, including anti-materiel and long-range weapons. As a domestic, niche-focused defense firearms maker with proprietary technology, Barrett is structurally comparable to LoneStar Future Weapons.

Broad incumbents

• General Dynamics: General Dynamics is a major defense prime that developed NGSW prototypes and operates across a much broader weapons and combat systems portfolio. While diversified far beyond small arms, its NGSW program work places it as a direct competitor for the same DoD squad weapons requirement.

Others

• True Velocity: True Velocity is LoneStar's strategic partner and developer of the proprietary composite-cased ammunition that LoneStar's weapons are designed around. As the technology partner and enabler of LoneStar's value proposition, True Velocity is a critical adjacent entity in the same ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LoneStar Future Weapons