US Department of Defence Additive Manufacturing Strategy published
February 8, 2021
The US Office of the Secretary of Defense Manufacturing Technology (OSD ManTech) Program Office in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), has released its first-ever comprehensive Additive Manufacturing (AM) Strategy.
Published in January 2021, the AM Strategy is reported to establish a common vision for the use of AM technology. OSD ManTech, which is under the Strategic Technology Protection and Exploitation (STP&E) Office in OUSD(R&E), crafted the Strategy in partnership with the Military Services and other defence agencies.
“Additive Manufacturing offers DOD unprecedented supply chain agility while enabling our developers to sustain technological dominance for our Warfighters,” stated Robert Gold, Director of the Technology and Manufacturing Industrial Base (TMIB) Office in STP&E, OUSD(R&E) who is also responsible for oversight of OSD ManTech. “This Strategy ensures that DOD will realise the most benefits from AM technology by structuring our AM activities, aligning funding opportunities, and improving AM implementation efforts – all with the objective of enhancing our Warfighters’ mission readiness.”
“The Air Force eagerly partnered with OSD and our other Services to develop a much needed DOD AM Strategy that addresses our collective needs,” added Angela Tymofichuk, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Logistics and Product Support, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. “This Strategy is vital as it provides a roadmap to fully adopt and integrate AM in our acquisition and sustainment communities.”
She concluded, “We envision AM as an effective tool that can mitigate diminished manufacturing sources of supply and long lead time supply chain shortfalls, while empowering Airmen to create innovative solutions for the myriad of sustainment challenges they encounter.”
Download the report here.
