As geopolitical tensions rise and global supply chains remain fragile, the United States is renewing its focus on domestic production of critical materials essential to national defense. As foreign powers like China and Russia accelerate their development of next-generation materials, reducing U.S. dependence on overseas sources is no longer just an economic priority—it’s a strategic necessity

To meet this moment, the Department of Defense (DoD) has launched a series of bold initiatives to re-shore and scale chemical manufacturing. In 2024, the DoD announced $192.5 million in Defense Production Act Investments (DPAI) to boost U.S. capacity for 22 critical chemicals foundational to military readiness and lethality, with full production targeted by 2028

Solugen, a Houston-based company at the forefront of domestic chemical innovation, is actively supporting this mission. Backed by a $2 million award through the DoD’s Distributed Bioindustrial Manufacturing Program (DBIMP), Solugen is developing modular, scalable infrastructure to produce dual-use precursors for next-generation energetic materials—compounds essential to enhancing the precision, performance, and safety of modern defense systems.

These precursors are essential building blocks for advanced energetics that increase precision, performance, and safety in modern weapons systems. By enabling domestic production of these materials, Solugen is helping secure the defense supply chain and directly supporting the lethality, agility, and mission readiness of U.S. forces.

Solugen’s proprietary Bioforge platform enables domestic production of high-purity, mission-ready chemicals at scale. Designed for speed, flexibility, and reliability, the Bioforge can rapidly scale new and existing molecules to meet government needs. As one of the few operational, de-risked assets of its kind, it’s built to deliver real capability to support the American warfighter.

Beyond production, Solugen is actively engaging with government and defense stakeholders to advance this conversation. In the past year, Solugen leadership has met with officials at the White House, the Pentagon, and Capitol Hill to share insights on domestic chemical manufacturing and advocate for resilient, homegrown supply chains that can sustain U.S. defense readiness for decades to come.

As America looks to strengthen its industrial base and outpace foreign adversaries, collaboration between public and private sectors will be key. Solugen stands ready to partner with leaders across government, defense, and industry to solve critical material shortages, bolster the warfighter, and keep American innovation at the forefront of global security.

For more information about Solugen’s defense solutions, visit Solugen.com/Aerospace-Defense.