Sponsors (2)
The bill funds a pilot to test printable energetic feedstocks and create open standards that could strengthen munition performance and supply‑chain resilience, but doing so will raise costs, retain residual safety risks, and impose tight controls and compliance burdens that may slow research and industry participation.
DoD service acquisition and research staff can evaluate printable energetic feedstocks, which may improve munition performance and give the military more flexible manufacturing options.
Military personnel and contractors could face fewer supply disruptions because the pilot tests on‑demand printable feedstocks that reduce reliance on distant or single-source suppliers.
Developing nonproprietary standards, metrology, and digital quality‑assurance protocols may lower barriers to adoption and improve interoperability between DoD and industry.
Taxpayers and DoD budgets may face higher costs because running the pilot and scaling any resulting capabilities will require additional funding or resource reallocation.
Handling and testing energetic printable feedstocks carries inherent explosion and contamination risks that could still endanger transportation workers, military personnel, and contractors despite safety controls.
Tight restrictions on sharing manufacturing parameters and strong counter‑diversion controls could slow academic and commercial research collaboration and innovation.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a DoD pilot to test safety, qualification, and controls for printable energetic feedstocks for additive manufacturing, with required safety and cybersecurity measures and reporting.
Official title: Establish a pilot program on safety and qualification of printable energetic feedstocks for additive manufacturing.
Introduced June 24, 2026 by Rafael Edward Cruz · Last progress June 24, 2026
Creates a Department of Defense pilot program to test printable energetic feedstocks for controlled additive manufacturing (3D printing) of energetics and ammunition-related components. The pilot will evaluate safety, sensitivity, process hazards, diversion risks, and cybersecurity while developing nonproprietary qualification criteria, standards, metrology, and digital quality-assurance approaches, and will run up to five years. Requires the DoD to ensure explosive-safety, counter-diversion, chain-of-custody, and cybersecurity controls; conduct limited demonstrations at compliant government or contractor facilities; and report initial findings to congressional defense committees within 180 days and annually thereafter.