Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Support

The Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) Support program, managed by the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) under Program Element (PE) 0607210D8Z, is a key Department of Defense (DoD) initiative aimed at strengthening the U.S. Defense Industrial Base (DIB). The program resides within the Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization (MCEIP) Directorate, part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy (OASD(IBP)). IBAS investments are coordinated with other DoD programs, such as Defense Production Act Title III and the Defense-Wide Manufacturing Science and Technology Program, to ensure a collaborative approach to mitigating supply chain risks and eliminating production bottlenecks. The budget request supports strategic focus areas such as workforce, critical minerals and materials, castings and forgings, kinetic capabilities, energy storage and batteries, and microelectronics.

Workforce Initiatives are a central focus of IBAS, with efforts designed to address the erosion of industrial workforce pipelines and ensure a steady supply of skilled workers for defense manufacturing. In partnership with the Navy's Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) team, IBAS continues to build and sustain regional training systems in New England, Virginia, the Great Lakes, and the Indo-Pacific region. The National Imperative for Industrial Skills (NIIS) initiative funds pilot projects to develop and refine workforce development models, focusing on recruitment, training, and retention. These efforts are critical to supporting the production needs of the nuclear Navy's submarine modernization and broader defense priorities.

Critical Minerals and Materials investments target supply chain vulnerabilities, particularly in rare earth elements (REEs) and other strategic materials such as gallium, germanium, and scandium. The program aims to develop a domestic mine-to-magnet capability, reducing reliance on foreign sources, especially China, which dominates global REE processing. Efforts include scaling domestic REE processing lines, qualifying magnets for defense use, and supporting alternative feedstock and recycling technologies. These investments are necessary to comply with new federal regulations requiring defense manufacturers to source materials from domestic or allied supply chains by 2027.

Castings and Forgings (C&F) efforts focus on revitalizing domestic capabilities for producing critical metal parts and machine tools essential to defense systems. The program supports research into advanced metallurgy, automation, and Industry 4.0 technologies to improve production efficiency and product quality. Investments also address workforce development for metalworking trades and secure upstream supply chains for raw and refined metals. Collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratories and other partners enables progress toward operational capability for new alloys and manufacturing processes, supporting aviation, ground combat, and missile systems.

Kinetic Capabilities funding is directed at enhancing the production and affordability of hypersonic missiles, munitions, and related components. IBAS supports projects that expand testing capacity for thermal protection systems, integrate additive manufacturing into solid rocket motor production, and foster competition among sub-tier suppliers. These efforts are aligned with Combatant Commander operational needs and aim to maintain the U.S. military's technological edge in precision-guided and hypersonic weapon systems.

Energy Storage and Batteries initiatives address the DoD's dependence on foreign supply chains for advanced batteries and energy storage technologies. The program is developing a standardized lithium battery database, expanding domestic battery safety expertise, and exploring opportunities to leverage commercial battery technologies for defense applications. These efforts are intended to improve the cost-effectiveness and resilience of energy storage solutions for electric vehicles and other platforms.

Microelectronics investments seek to secure the supply chain for critical electronic components used in military systems. Funding supports the development of domestic manufacturing capabilities for electro-deposited copper foil, advanced packaging for 2.5D and 3D integration, and radio frequency (RF) electronics for homeland cruise missile defense. The program emphasizes transitioning early-stage research into scalable production, prioritizing investments that demonstrate commercial viability and stakeholder buy-in. These actions are essential to maintaining assured access to microelectronics and supporting the transition of leading-edge technologies into DoD programs of record.