Jane Edwards
The Department of Defense has awarded contracts through the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment and Defense Production Act Title III programs in a push to reduce supply chain vulnerabilities associated with the production of kinetic weapons systems for national security use.
The office of the assistant secretary of defense for industrial base policy within the DOD’s office of acquisition and sustainment office made the investments using IBAS and DPA Title III to ensure the flow of mission-critical materials used in manufacturing hypersonic technologies, missile systems and directed energy weapon systems, DOD said Tuesday.
The department has awarded $28.9 million in contracts to Carbon-Carbon Advanced Technologies and General Electric to expand the production of ultrahigh- and high-temperature composites.
Nalas Engineering Services received a $2.1 million contract to support the production of energetic materials and critical chemicals.
“Kinetic capabilities are composed of multiple subsystems,” said Halimah Najieb-Locke, deputy assistant secretary of defense for industrial base resilience.
“Sustained access to these subsystems’ components, as well as to materials such as critical chemicals, is vital to ensure that the U.S. armed forces have the ability to project power, defend U.S. interests, and protect its friends and allies,” Najieb-Locke added.
According to DOD, the IBAS and Title III programs intend to invest over $200 million in the production of critical components to address supply chain risks and provide materials for hypersonic programs of the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Army.
