Manufacturing Technology Program (ManTech)
Abstract
The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program funds the advanced technology development needed to achieve a responsive and efficient domestic industrial base that meets the warfighters' needs in an affordable and timely manner. The ManTech program works with DLA’s diverse supply chains to improve manufacturing capability throughout a product's life cycle. It provides the crucial link between invention and application by maturing, scaling up, and validating advanced manufacturing technology in “real world” environments. ManTech developments provide a path to low-risk technology implementation for many small businesses and defense unique suppliers as well as depots and shipyards that are critical to DLA. By anticipating and addressing production and sustainment problems before they occur, readiness levels increase, and sustainment costs are decreased. DLA R&D established five Lines of Effort (LOEs) in FY 2023. The ManTech R&D Program Element executes from two of the five LOEs: Industrial Base and Aging Weapon System Support; and 3D Technical Data Modernization / Model-Based Enterprise. These LOEs are closely aligned to documented and tracked priorities specified in the most current DLA Strategic Plan, that calls for Digital Business Transformation as one of three critical capabilities to achieve DLA’s business goals of enhancing performance, reducing costs, and becoming more predictive and data-driven. This critical capability also seeks to transform systems and processes to improve data transparency, reliability, and security for our employees, customers, and suppliers. DLA’s initiatives within this critical capability align with the National Security Strategy (NSS) by emphasizing the importance of harnessing rapid emerging technologies that will transform how we do business. -In addition to alignment with DLA’s top strategic priorities, under Section 2521 of Title 10, US Code, DLA ManTech efforts are collaborated across DOD Military Services and Agencies. As a Principal member of the Joint Defense Manufacturing Technology Panel, DLA’s efforts are integrated within the Joint Defense Priorities. -The Industrial Base and Aging Weapon System Support LOE seeks to implement innovative and proactive technology solutions to ensure a robust, reliable industrial base that provides affordable and previously hard-to-procure critical parts for DOD weapon systems. This LOE aligns to DLA Strategic Plan LOE 1: Warfighter Always, DLA LOE 2: Trusted Mission Partner, DLA LOE 4: Modernized Acquisition and Supply Chain Management, as well as the cross-cutting Critical Capability C: Digital Business Transformation through the following portfolios: DOD Subsistence Supply Chain (Subsistence Network), Castings (Procurement Readiness Optimization Advanced Casting Technology), Forgings (Procurement Readiness Optimization—Forging Advanced System Technology), Batteries (Battery Network), Additive Manufacturing (AM), Advanced Microcircuit Emulation (AME), and the Strategic Materials program was established during FY2025 PBR cycle. -The 3D Technical Data Modernization / Model Based Enterprise LOE integrates three-dimensional technical data and knowledge-based tools to transform and streamline supply system responsiveness for DLA-managed commodities. Efforts seek to improve and facilitate the exchange of engineering and logistics information among DLA, the Military Services, DLA industry partners and DLA customers. The benefits include shorter product introduction cycles, lower set up-costs for parts production and more economical small batch production. Primarily focused on the DLA Strategic Plan Critical Capability C: Digital Business Transformation, this R&D LOE cuts across DLA Strategic Plan LOE 1: Warfighter Always, DLA LOE2: Trusted Mission Partner, and DLA LOE 4: Modernized Acquisition and Supply Chain Management through portfolios for DOD soldier and individual equipment (Military Unique Sustainment Technology ((MUST)) and Defense Logistics Information Research (DLIR), as well as out of budget cycle or Emerging Requirements (EMR). DLA’s focus for this budget cycle highlights advanced capabilities in digital and technical data modernization, data management and analytics to fulfill the DLA role in the DOD Digital Engineering Strategy and improve sharing of data with the industrial base and supported organizations. Investment explores technologies to lower the Agency’s material acquisition and operation costs and improve weapons systems support. This effort spans across both DLA R&D Program Elements and R&D LOEs, impacting across the DOD Joint Defense Manufacturing Technology Panel and DLA Enterprise logistics processes.
Document Details
- Document Type
- R2 Budgetary Justification
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2025
- Source ID
- 0603680S_3_0400_PB_2025
- Change Summary Explanation
- FY 2025 Internal Reallocation: Industrial Base and Aging Weapon System Support (IBA) baseline was increased by $1.000 million to address Lead-acid, NiCd replacement, Transition Solid State Technology, BATTNET initiative. FY 2025 Program Increases: Additive Manufacturing Joint Foundational Initiative - Add funds to expand and develop the Joint Additive Manufacturing Model Exchange (JAMMEX) and expand the Joint Additive Manufacturing Acceptability (JAMA) initiative. JAMMEX expansion and development will enhance integration of additive manufacturing across DoD. JAMA expansion will create a common part qualification framework from use by the Military Services to approve more supply chain vendors and broaden the potential vendor base. FY 2025 Program Decrease: Reduction to fund higher DoD priorities. In FY 2025, a Strategic Materials (SM) program was formally established within IBA LOE by realigning $500K per year FY 2025- 2029 from the Emerging Requirements (EMR) program baseline for new Strategic Materials (SM) program. (The EMR program funded emerging SM related research in the past two cycles including related to Rare Earth elements.) Due to continuing SM requirements, a modest baseline was established to continue technical research and development in this area. The SM program focus, as directed under EO14017, will be on emerging and rapidly expanding requirements to restore and stabilize strategic and critical materials supply chains that have been compromised by decreased or abandoned domestic production activities or lack of domestic reserves within the United States. Most of these requirements are in the form of research of materials and alloys and development of solutions including cost-efficient production, substitution, domestic qualification, and/or recycling.
- Service Agency Name
- Defense Logistics Agency
Entities
Organizations
- Defense Logistics Agency
Related Documents
- Child Project: Industrial Base & Aging Weapon System Support
- Child Accomplishment: Industrial Base (IB) and Aging Weapon System Support Line of Effort (LOE)
- Child Project: 3D Tech Data Modernization / Model Based Enterprise
- Child Accomplishment: Three-dimensional (3D) Technical Data Modernization (TDM) / Model-Based Enterprise (MBE) (R&D LOE 2)