Joint Production Accelerator Cell
To modernize our defense industrial base, this PE funds development of technologies, processes, and analytical groundwork needed to accelerate weapon system delivery. This includes funding for advanced manufacturing pilots, developing best practices for scalable production, and creating a more resilient and integrated industrial network with our allies. This Program Element delivers three main categories of outputs: 1. Surge Production Capacity and Resilience: Builds scalable and resilient production capacity to meet rapidly evolving national security needs. For example: • Piloting production techniques to enable rapid, scalable manufacturing. • Applying lessons from novel methods to legacy manufacturers to increase throughput. • Mobilizing industry to produce common parts, reducing inefficiencies and strengthening supply chains. 2. Advanced Manufacturing and Process Innovation: Identifies innovative technologies to improve efficiency and accelerate deliveries. For example: • Completing the Pathfinding Innovation pilot to detect and mitigate production failures. • Integrating non-traditional suppliers to alleviat supply chain bottlenecks. • Modernizing production processes with flexible, scalable manufacturing approaches. 3. Industrial Base Analysis, Policy, and Best Practices: Funds expert analysis and strategic planning needed to strengthen the defense industrial base. For example: • Recommending new policies for procurement and production. • Assessing different manufacturing approaches to find the most flexible and scalable options. • Developing the strategic framework for the future Wartime Production Unit.
FY2027 planned work Continue and expand initiatives that directly support NDS priorities. These plans focus on delivering capabilities faster and more effectively by strengthening both the domestic industrial base and our network of allies and partners. Pathfinding Innovation: Complete pilot on proactive failure analysis detection and mitigation. This effort leverages lessons learned and AI to predict and address common production failure modes to better assess failures/defects during processing before they are discovered in the finished product during acceptance testing – saving time and money during production. Affordable Mass: Complete pilot to examine novel manufacturing methods and processes that enable…
FY2026 to FY2027 change FY 2026 to FY 2027 increase of $757 thousand is to continue to identify and pilot ways to build and maintain surge production capacity and resilience for critical weapons.
FY2026 plans — current year Pathfinding Innovation: Activity on advanced manufacturing applications and pilot partnerships. Identify pathfinder projects for initial award, to be executed through FY 2027. Affordable Mass: Establish a plan for a government reference architecture and pilot an exemplary MOSA-compliant interface. Identify pathfinder projects for initial award, to be executed through FY 2027.