DoD prohibited from utilizing or procuring additive manufacturing methods made in or networked by way of China, Russia, Iran & North Korea

The USA’s Nationwide Protection Authorization Act (NDAA) now treats additive manufacturing as vital defence infrastructure and formally prohibits the operation or procurement of additive manufacturing machines which are manufactured in, have software program developed in, or are networked by way of China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea by the Division of Protection (DoD).

President Trump signed the NDAA for Fiscal 12 months 2026 into regulation this week. China, Russia, Iran and North Korea are thought-about ‘strategic adversaries’ of the US.

It means the DoD and its suppliers will want a slim national-interest waiver to make use of additive manufacturing methods made in or networked by way of the aforementioned international locations (Sec. 880(c)). There are additionally prohibitions in place for the renewal of present contracts for mentioned merchandise (Sec. 880(a)).

This edict doesn’t concern machines operated or procured for testing, evaluation, and coaching associated to intelligence, digital warfare, and knowledge warfare operations, and the Secretary of Protection might in any other case waive the prohibition on a ‘case-by-case’ foundation.

It comes because the NDAA and DoD search to speed up the applying of additive manufacturing know-how by way of a complicated manufacturing program that goals to qualify and approve as much as a million components (Sec. 220A(a)).

Part 220A of the NDAA says: “Not later than December 31, 2027, the Secretary of Protection, in coordination with the Secretaries of the army departments, shall purpose to qualify and approve for manufacturing and supply not fewer than 1,000,000 components or elements of the Division of Protection that use superior manufacturing strategies, with funding topic to the provision of appropriations or different funds. In doing so, the Secretary shall be sure that expedited processes for adoption of superior manufacturing merchandise are utilized throughout the elements of the Division of Protection and lifecycle phases for brand spanking new and present methods.”

By this endeavour, there may be point out of a program to additively manufacture ‘sure kinds of unmanned aerial methods’ no later than September 30, 2026 (Sec. 220A(b)). This effort will purpose to certify new supplies and processes to fabricate 25-100% of the components of a small unmanned aerial system used as a tactical loitering munitions, a small unmanned aerial system used for surveillance and reconnaissance missions, and a small unmanned system used for logistics missions.

Sec. 220A(c) of the NDAA additionally remarks that, not later than September 30, 2026, the  Underneath Secretary of Protection for Acquisition and Sustainment shall, in coordination with the Underneath Secretary of Protection for Analysis and Engineering and the Secretaries of the army departments, perform a program to supply alternative components for army methods with diminishing manufacturing sources and materials shortages utilizing superior or additive manufacturing strategies. No less than 5 components might be chosen for testing, analysis and certification beneath this system. Check information will then be shared throughout all army departments with mechanisms for information reciprocity for outcomes to be established.

Lastly, updates to the NDAA verify a program to additively manufacture components for Floor Fight Techniques (Sec. 220A(e)). Sustainment vulnerabilities within the floor tools provide chain of the Military might be recognized, with additive manufacturing deployed to restore, improve or modernise floor fight methods the place relevant. Once more, at least 5 components with lengthy lead instances might be chosen and plans, in coordination with Military Improvement Command, might be developed to combine additive manufacturing strategies and applied sciences within the design, manufacturing, and sustainment of next-generation fight autos and their applied sciences. Sec 220A(e) says: “The developed applied sciences ought to prioritise interoperability throughout army platforms and integration with different army companies.”