U.S. DoD Releases Report on Health of U.S. Industrial Base
Key Summary
• DoD report warns industrial base weaknesses persist despite tech advances.
• Electronics risks include foreign dependency and material shortages.
• Decline of U.S. PCB manufacturing remains a major vulnerability.
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) released this month its annual report to Congress on industrial capabilities. The report reflects ongoing (DoD) concern about the challenges facing the nation’s industrial base and recommends “continued and accelerated national focus over the coming decade” to preserve American leadership. Importantly, it warns that advancements in 5G, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and quantum computing will not “wave away” the underlying issues confronting DoD readiness and superiority.
In a snapshot of the electronics industry, the report concludes that foreign dependency and diminishing manufacturing sources and materials shortages (DMSMS) continue to be the primary risks. The “decline of the U.S. printed circuit board” manufacturing also gets called out as does IPC-1791 and federal efforts to establish a trusted supply chain for PCBs and PCBAs.
The report identifies foreign dependency and material shortages as ongoing vulnerabilities affecting electronics readiness and national security.
It warns that shrinking domestic PCB capability undermines secure production and highlights the need for trusted U.S. suppliers.
The report explains that 5G, AI and related innovations do not replace foundational manufacturing capacity needed for defense superiority.
It notes IPC-1791 as part of federal efforts to strengthen trusted supply chains for PCBs and PCB assemblies.
It calls for sustained national focus over the next decade to rebuild industrial capabilities and preserve U.S. leadership.