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A new program has been established to incentivise the timely manufacture of critical technology.
The US Department of Defense’s (DoD) Industrial Base Policy Office has announced the establishment of the Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III Program — a new manufacturing pilot initiative developed in collaboration with the Austin Center for Manufacturing and Innovation (ACMI) in Austin, Texas.
The program aims to foster the development of rapidly scalable advanced manufacturing technology for commercial and military applications.
This includes exploring opportunities to leverage private capital to fund work to address critical industrial base shortfalls and future national security requirements.
Areas of focus for the pilot program, which is set to run for approximately 24 months, are expected to include the manufacturing of inert chemicals for energetic applications used by the military in munitions and by the commercial sector in agriculture products.
This is tipped to enable both the military and commercial sector to receive new products identical to legacy material.
Surplus funds from the DPA Title III Program are expected to be used to scale the program into other sectors critical to national security, including microelectronics and clean energy.
“Our support enables the United States to more effectively harness innovation in manufacturing, enhance supply chain resiliency, and develop a more robust industrial base that is well prepared to meet the needs of American strategic interests while developing a future workforce for advanced chemical manufacturing,” Dr William LaPlante, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, said.
“This pilot program is a first step in finding new and creative solutions to innovate within the American manufacturing sector.”
John Burer, founder of ACMI, welcomed the opportunity to partner with the Pentagon to drive innovations in manufacturing capability.
“We are proud to have been selected to help advance the Department of Defense’s industrial priorities at this critical point in our nation’s history,” he said.
“Leveraging private capital and market forces will allow us to deliver an efficient and sustainable solution for these areas.”
ACMI is expecting a 10-to-1 ratio of private-to-public funding for the pilot, with full-scale operations estimated to exceed a ratio of 25-to-1.
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