Introduction

The Army Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program supports the development of essential manufacturing technologies that will enable producibility of new technologies with reliable processes and higher yield, reduce the risk in transitioning military-unique manufacturing processes to production, and provide solutions enabling affordability of Future Modular Force weapons systems.

The Army ManTech Program supports process prototyping and pilot demonstration to develop or modify manufacturing technologies for the Army’s use. The Army ManTech Program does not acquire off-the-shelf capital equipment unless it is a minor portion of the investment and is required to establish the first-case application integral to the ManTech project. DoD policy prohibits using ManTech funds for implementation of manufacturing technology beyond the first-case application. Before Army ManTech funds are committed to an effort, the Program Manager must demonstrate that their Acquisition Strategy includes a realistic plan to implement the technology in the industrial base.

Organization

The Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology) has overall responsibility for the Army ManTech Program. Within this office, the Director for Technology is charged with oversight of the program.

The Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM), a subordinate command of the Army Materiel Command (AMC), has been further designated as the Army’s ManTech Program Manager.  The Systems of Systems Integration (SOSI) organization within the RDE Command performs this function with a small staff that provides direction to the Army’s four Research, Development and Engineering Centers (RDECs), the Natick Soldier Center (NSC), and the Army Research Laboratory (ARL). The Man-Tech managers at the RDECs, NSC, and ARL are responsible for detailed program management and execution of individual ManTech projects in coordination with the Army Technology Objective-Development managers. This allows the Army to take advantage of technical expertise within the RDECs, NSC, and ARL, and to maintain close contact with both the acquisition managers and the corresponding technology managers.

Army ManTech Investment Areas

The program supports projects that are deemed high priority for the Army. The Warfighter Technical Council evaluates ManTech projects, the Army Science and Technology Working Group (ASTWG) reviews the ManTech program and approves ATOMs. The Army actively participates in the Department of Defense (DoD) Joint Defense Manufacturing Technology Panel (JDMTP) to coordinate ManTech efforts and maximize leverage of ManTech funding across the Services, Defense Logistics Agency and Missile Defense Agency. Army ManTech investment areas include:

• SENSORS – to include 3rd generation IR systems, and flexible display manufacturing.

• ELECTRONICS AND POWER SYSTEMS – to include pulsed power for advanced protection systems, compact power and energy storage, high current silicon carbide switches, phase shifters for phased radar arrays and software defined radios.

• ARMOR – to include affordable lightweight structural and appliqué armor, and titanium for lightweight armament and ground vehicles.

• MUNITIONS – to include low-cost, high-g force, high accuracy MEMS-based inertial measurement units, and MEMS Safe-and-Arm for fuze technology.

Although not part of the four investment areas described above, the Army is also investing in aviation ManTech including lightweight structures and drive train housings.

The Army approval process for projects is shown in Figure 1. This process starts with proposal submissions through the RDECOM, in concert with the critical investment areas. Projects are evaluated and prioritized through the Warfighter Technical Council, approved by the Army Science and Technology Working Group (ASTWG), endorsed by the Army Science and Technology Advisory Group (ASTAG), and executed by RDECOM. The Army ManTech Program uses contracts with industry, cooperative research and development agreements, cost sharing arrangements, Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs), and DoD manufacturing

The Army ManTech Program ATO-M Process
Figure 1

Joint Defense Manufacturing Technology Panel (JDMTP)

The JDMTP is composed of the managers of the Army, Navy, Air Force, DLA and MDA ManTech Programs. This panel also includes an ex-officio representative from the Office of the Secretary of Defense and representatives from the Department of Commerce (DoC) and Department of Energy (DoE). The JDMTP defines a taxonomy under which DoD components coordinate technical projects that optimize the investment of funds for manufacturing process development.  To meet its challenges, the JDMTP is structured around four technical subpanels to support the planning, execution, and implementation of both joint and Service-unique projects. Army ManTech projects are aligned within the JDMTP technical subpanels. Brief descriptions of the subpanels are included below.

•The METALS PROCESSING AND FABRICATION SUBPANEL projects provide manufacturing technology to develop affordable, robust processes and capabilities for evolutionary metals and special materials, joining and inspection.

• The COMPOSITES PROCESSING AND FABRICATION SUBPANEL coordinates manufacturing technology projects that improve the processes used to produce composite structures in aircraft, ground vehicles, ships and Soldier protective systems.

• The ELECTRONICS PROCESSING AND FABRICATION SUBPANEL addresses manufacturing technology for electronic materials, devices, integrated circuits, subassemblies, and subsystems. The scope includes digital electronics, analog microwave and millimeter wave electronics, and photonic and electro-optic technologies.

• The SUSTAINMENT/READINESS SUBPANEL addresses critical repair and re-manufacturing technologies for weapon system applications. This subpanel is recognized by the JDMTP as a tool to emphasize the criticality of life cycle support mandated by the extended operational life of fielded weapon systems.