$1.25M Contract awarded for the development of a modernized HF small form factor radio
AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES, February 23, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — FlexRadio, Inc. announces it has been selected by AFWERX for a SBIR Direct-to-Phase II contract in the amount of $1.25M focused on a modernized small form factor HF radio solution to address the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF). The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution. The DAF began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018 which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded and on August 22, 2025, FlexRadio started its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America.
“FlexRadio is proud to partner with the Air Force to strengthen mission assurance for unmanned operations, stated Stephen Hicks, CTO of FlexRadio. “USAF operators need resilient beyond-line-of-sight communications that hold up when primary links are degraded, denied, or contested. This small-form-factor HF SDR is built to close that gap by adding persistent C2 and meaningful data throughput on SWaP-constrained platforms, while preserving integration agility through an open, MOSA-aligned architecture that can evolve with mission needs.”
About FlexRadio
FlexRadio, Inc., headquartered in Austin, Texas, is a global leader in high performance software defined radio (SDR) systems. The company develops advanced HF communication solutions serving amateur radio, commercial, and government environments worldwide. Its portfolio includes next generation SDR platforms engineered for flexibility, mission resilience, and operational excellence.
About AFRL
The Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace forces. With a workforce spanning across nine technology areas and 40 other operations around the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. For more information, visit afresearchlab.com.
About AFWERX
As the innovation arm of the DAF and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory, AFWERX brings cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing challenges of the DAF. Headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, AFWERX employs military, civilian and contractor personnel executing an annual $1.4 billion annual budget. Since 2019, AFWERX has awarded over 10,400 contracts worth more than $7.24 billion to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability. For more information, visit: afwerx.com.
“The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Air Force, the Department of War, or the U.S. government.”
Lori Hicks
FlexRadio, Inc.
+1 5129633423
lori@flexradio.com
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