The Department of War has made $32.7 million in Defense Production Act, or DPA, Title III investments in Systima Technologies and R.E. Darling Co., or REDAR, to expand the production of solid rocket motor, or SRM, components.
“The surge in demand for propellant-based weaponry, coupled with a narrow supplier base, has created a bottleneck in SRM production,” Michael Duffey, under secretary of war for acquisition and sustainment, said in a statement published Tuesday.
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“With these strategic investments, we are fortifying our national security by expanding critical nodes of the SRM supply chain to accelerate munitions manufacturing,” he added.
The DPA Title III investments were made in September but DOW delayed the announcement due to the government shutdown.
How Will DPA Title III Funds Expand SRM Production Capacity?
DOW is investing $27.7 million in REDAR to modernize and expand SRM internal insulation production to boost industry capacity and promote competition across the SRM market.
An additional $5 million investment in Systima, part of Karman Space & Defense, will establish a dedicated SRM nozzle production line and optimize complex nozzle manufacturing.
What Is DPA Title III?
DPA Title III is one of two investment programs within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy. It targets investments that create, maintain, restore or expand domestic industrial base capabilities that are critical to the Pentagon and U.S. warfighters.
The program’s focus areas are sustaining critical production; commercializing research and development investments; and scaling emerging technologies.
In mid-September, DOW awarded $39.6 million in DPA Title III funds to three companies to help strengthen the domestic SRM supply chain.
