First US engine sale secured for Aurora Labs’ AU4 turbojets
Aurora Labs (ASX: A3D) has received its maiden US order for three AU4 turbojet engines and related product integration services, with a total package value of US$42,000.
The engines are to support a US-based aerospace and defence company’s experimental aircraft program. Aurora describes the total order value as “modest”, but it marks Aurora’s first US propulsion sale and broadens the international customer base for its Australian-designed and manufactured technology.
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What the order involves
Order snapshot
| Item | Detail |
| Product | Three AU4 turbojet engines plus product integration services |
| Value | US$42,000 |
| Buyer | US-based aerospace and defence company, unnamed at its request due to commercial sensitivities |
| Use | Experimental aircraft program |
The buyer is a completely new commercial relationship for Aurora. As a start-up, it is not known as a typical defence customer and is not considered a specialist defence prime or volume-based buyer.
The buyer asked not to be named during its current business establishment phase. Aurora says it does not consider the entity’s name to materially impact market valuation, and notes that the individuals involved are well credentialled in the aerospace sector.
Why the buyer chose Aurora
The buyer believes Aurora’s approach to additively manufactured turbines offers it an advantage. Aurora will supply the engines and support their integration into the customer’s platform, and anticipates it will ultimately support multiple platforms under development.
The intended use will test the limits of Aurora’s propulsion technology against performance objectives. According to the company, this will directly benefit its turbojet future defence use cases.
Additive manufacturing and turbojets explained
Aurora specialises in 3D metal printed parts for industrial applications and is developing advanced propulsion systems for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for the Defence sector. Additive manufacturing is the process of building parts layer by layer, which is what 3D metal printing refers to.
- 3D metal printing: the core technology behind Aurora’s parts and printers.
- Propulsion focus: Aurora is developing propulsion systems for UAS for the Defence sector.
- Customer testing: a US customer using the engines gives Aurora an opportunity to demonstrate its propulsion technology.
Building on Australian and European momentum
The US order sits alongside existing commercial activity:
- A$250,000 order for 20 AU4 propulsion systems from Sovereign Propulsion Systems (ASX announcement 10 December 2025).
- A Teaming Agreement with European defence group MBDA (ASX announcement 27 May 2026), which has the potential to unlock European expansion opportunities.
Aurora has since completed its first commercial AU4 deliveries to Sovereign Propulsion Systems, which will integrate the engines onto a flight platform and generate performance data across altitude, flight duration and manoeuvring loads.
Andrew Garth, Chief Executive Officer
“Our first US engine sale is a practical step in expanding Aurora’s international customer base…”
Aurora sees the US aerospace and defence sector as a significant addressable market for its propulsion systems. Garth said the immediate focus is on delivering the engines and supporting their integration.
What’s next for Aurora
Through the supply and integration activities, Aurora and the US customer intend to explore potential additional aerospace applications. Any further orders remain subject to customer requirements, successful integration and separate commercial agreement. No follow-on orders are being announced.
Aurora also states that its Australian and European focussed initiatives are well advanced, with multiple commercialisation opportunities pending. The announcement does not disclose timelines, revenue guidance or delivery dates.
Production capacity is a separate question from order flow, and Aurora’s $1 million defence grant is funding a large-format industrial metal 3D printer at its Canning Vale facility to scale Micro Gas Turbine output beyond small batches.
For investors, the order gives Aurora an initial US propulsion customer relationship in a market the company regards as larger than its current focus areas.
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