Materials Development in Tri-Service Biotechnology for a Resilient Supply Chain Program

Recent years have demonstrated the fragility of both military and non-military supply chains. Through biotechnology and biomanufacturing, the Department of Defense (DoD) can use readily available feedstocks to onshore manufacturing of chemicals and materials critical to defense needs and to create advanced materials with enhanced capabilities. Development of DoD’s biotechnology and biomanufacturing capabilities will help secure the defense supply chain and contribute to a force that is sustainable, resilient, survivable, agile, and responsive.

To accelerate the advancement of biotechnology and biomanufactured products, the Department launched the Tri-Service Biotechnology for a Resilient Supply Chain (T-BRSC) program in Fiscal Year 2022. T-BRSC is creating a pipeline for advanced development and transition of biomanufactured materials to support defense supply chain resilience. The effort brings together Joint Service partners to leverage significant advances made over the last decade in using microorganisms to produce highly specialized bio-based chemicals that can be used to manufacture a wide variety of materials of interest to DoD.

The T-BRSC project portfolio is focused on enhanced capabilities, reduced logistics, infrastructure modernization, and cost savings. The program emphasizes the rapid prototyping of promising biotechnology research through partnerships with non-traditional commercial performers to facilitate entry of biomanufactured materials into acquisition Programs of Record and develop the Biotechnology Defense Industrial Base.