Establishing a Manufacturing Security Program

Abstract

The Department of Defense faces persistent challenges related to munitions production, including single source suppliers, reliance on foreign-sourced materials, limited surge capacity, and cybersecurity threats to defense industrial systems. These vulnerabilities compromise readiness and strategic deterrence while endangering the warfighter. This paper provides foundational research for the concept of a Manufacturing Security Program (ManuSP), a framework designed to ensure secure, scalable, and resilient domestic manufacturing of critical munitions. The paper analyzes seven case studies for their effectiveness in the following four components: 1) authorities and policies, 2) government-industry collaboration; 3) resources and contracting 4) and activation phases and utilization. The case studies focus on the following programs: the Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement (and Maritime Security Program), the Voluntary Tanker Agreement (and Tanker Security Program), the “Voluntary Agreement, Manufacture and Distribution of Critical Healthcare Resources Necessary to Respond to a Pandemic,” the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, the National Armaments Consortium, the Munitions Campus, and the Civil Reserve Manufacturing Network. They are scored as either “low,” “medium,” or “highly” effective. The following paper is a draft of the ongoing research project.