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Introduction

The Army Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program supports the reduction of costs and risks to manufacturing technologies that enable the affordable production and sustainment of future weapon systems, as well as the affordable transition of new technologies that can enhance capabilities of Current Force systems.

The Army ManTech projects fall within three categories: Army Technology Objectives for Manufacturing (ATO-M) which are normally large efforts ($3M to $5M per year for one to three years) or efforts that address critical manufacturing technology; Tracked Efforts, which normally smaller efforts or efforts that address specific manufacturing opportunities; and Combined with Science and Technology (S&T) Research for Demonstration (ATO-R or ATO-D) to address manufacturing and producibility aspects of those technologies and improve transition.

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. 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 U.S. Army 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 ManTech office within the Plans and Programs Integration Directorate of RDECOM performs this function and provides direction to the Army’s Research, Development and Engineering Centers (RDECs) and the Army Research Laboratory (ARL). ManTech managers in these organizations are responsible for coordination with the ATO-M managers and oversee detailed program management and execution of individual ManTech projects. This allows the Army to take advantage of technical expertise, and to maintain close contact with both the acquisition managers and the corresponding technology managers.

Army ManTech Investment Areas

The Army ManTech Program funds projects that are deemed high priority for the Army. Proposals are submitted through the laboratories and RDECs to RDECOM SOSI. The first level of review for ATO-Ms in the Warfighter Technical Council (WTC). The WTC is a one-star level body that reviews ManTech projects and the results are provided to the Army Science and Technology Working Group (ASTWG) for approval. Decisions by the ASTWG are validated by the four-star level Army S&T Advisory Group (ASTAG). Figure 1 illustrates the ATO-M portfolio development process.

Program Overview

Figure 1. ATO Portfolio Development Process.

 

The Army ManTech Program is divided into five investment areas. Projects are listed with each area:

AVATION SYSTEMS - to include investing in aviation ManTech lighweight helicopter structures, drive train housings, embedded sensors for composite structures, and low cost rotorcraft cabin floors.

ARMOR AND ARMAMENTS - to include affordable lighweight structural and B(x) armor, next generation helmets, an transparent armor.

SENSORS - to include next generation infrared (IR) and focal plane array (FPA) systems, low cost laser designator modules, and micro-displays.

ELECTRONICS AND POWER SYSTEMS - to include compact power and energy storage, high current silicon carbide switches, software defined radios, and chip scale atomic clocks.

PRECISION MUNITIONS - to include grenade initiation modules, multi-purpose warheads, seeker domes for missiles, and insensitive munitions processes.

FLEXIBLE DISPLAYS - to include flexable electronics and displays.

Joint Defense Manufacturing Technology Panel (JDMTP)

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 (DLA), and Missile Defense Agency (MDA)

The JDMTP is composed of the manager of the Army, Navy, Air Force, DLA, and MDA ManTech Programs. This panel also includes and ex-officio representative from the Office of the Secretary of Defense and representatives for 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 three 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.

Information for Army ManTech Points of Contact to the JDMTP subpanels, contact the Webmaster.