Composites Processing and Fabrication Subpanel

The mission of the Composites Processing and Fabrication ("Composites") Subpanel is to identify and integrate requirements / solutions for manufacturing of composites across the Army, Navy, Air Force, Defense Logistics Agency, Missile Defense Agency, Office of Secretary of Defense, Department of Energy, industry, and academia to accelerate implementation across the DoD industrial base.  The scope includes:  composites (i.e. polymeric, ceramic, carbon matrices) manufacturing technology maturation projects in support of new production and sustainment/readiness activities for fielded systems; repair technologies; materials with similar composition or processes such as canopy’s, polymeric coatings; and manufacturing supporting activities including inspection; automation, and modeling.
 
The Subpanel comes together to identify common needs, foster joint project planning and conduct annual portfolio reviews to coordinate all Department of Defense Manufacturing Technology (DoD ManTech) Program composites related projects to eliminate unwarranted duplication and identify common requirements. The Subpanel members discusses and remain cognizant of state-of-the-art technology developments, innovative and disruptive technologies related to composites and new manufacturing/repair technologies. 
 
The Composites Subpanel contributes to the overall goal of the Joint Defense Manufacturing Technology Panel (JDMTP) and the DoD ManTech Program to improve mission capability, improve readiness, and reduce total ownership costs.

Taxonomy

Listed below is a top-down decomposition of the technical areas of investment for the Composites Subpanel supporting  current and next generation systems, rapid sustainment, accelerating responsiveness to new missions, and cost reductions across the board:

  • Aerospace Composite Structures for fixed wing, rotary wing, missiles, and satellites
  • High Temperature Composite Structures for engines, aeroshells, exhaust wash, and missiles
  • Naval Composite Structures for surface ships and submersible systems
  • Specialty Non-Metallic Materials Processing for conformal structures, multi-functional structures, armor, high precision, ancillary items, transparencies, coatings, etc.
  • Supporting Technologies including process modeling, inspection, testing, automation, tooling, machine learning, and artificial intelligence
Joint Technology Pursuit Areas

Joint Technology Pursuit Areas (JTPAs) are joint Military Service and DoD Agency manufacturing research and development (R&D) topics of strategic interest that are developed by each JDMTP Subpanel.  The Subpanels provide a rigorous internal analysis and prioritization of the JDMTP portfolio.  To date, JTPAs continue to be an excellent tool to communicate joint technical priorities to the Office of the Secretary of Defense Manufacturing Technology Office leadership and the collective DoD ManTech stakeholder community.  These JTPAs identify joint-Service investment opportunities predicted to produce the highest value, affordable, leading edge defense capabilities to meet the near term needs of our warfighters.

Composites Joint Technology Pursuit Areas include:

  • High Temperature Refractory Composite Manufacturing
  • Cost Effective Composite Structures Manufacturing
  • ​High Performance Thermoplastic Composites Manufacturing Leadership

Subpanel Chair

The Composites Subpanel chair is a nominated position that rotates among the Services and Agencies that comprise the JDMTP.  The current chair of the Composites Subpanel is David Kingsley, Air Force Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Manufacturing and Industrial Technologies Division.

Primary organizations involved in the Subpanel are from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Missile Defense Agency, Office of Secretary of Defense, Department of Energy, with invited participation from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Manufacturing Innovation Institutes, Defense Production Act, Industrial Base Policy, industry, and academia.

Schedule of Meetings

Composites Subpanel teleconferences are held monthly and meetings are as needed, some in conjunction with other events/meetings and high value tours of DoD industrial base manufacturing facilities, manufacturing institutes, etc.  to enhance communications and awareness. A review of the composites subpanel portfolio of projects is conducted on an annual basis in late summer where both industry and government reviewers are in attendance.