The Department of Defense’s (DoD) partnerships with leading companies like Raytheon Technologies, Lockheed Martin, and General Dynamics have replaced aging military vehicles and upgraded existing technology and collaborative tools. While these partnerships are critical to the safety and performance of military personnel, the DoD also has a long history of supporting small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs) through its Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program.
The ManTech Program has fueled significant contributions to the U.S. military and paved the way for some truly dynamic technologies. Below, we explore the program’s history and highlight the small businesses impacting military safety.
What Is DoD’s ManTech?
The DoD ManTech Program was established in 1956. Over the years, Congress has continued to refine and expand the program to facilitate strategic investment in military technologies. Today, the program performs several vital functions, including:
- Accelerating the development of manufacturing processes
- Supporting the timely acquisition of weapon systems
- Reducing DoD’s material acquisition and equipment upkeep costs
- Promoting innovation, particularly among small businesses
- Ensuring that manufacturing efforts align with the DoD’s safety and conservation standards
The ManTech Program is managed by the Office of the Secretary of Defense Manufacturing Technology Office under the Office of the Under Secretary for Research and Engineering. These offices manage three distinct ManTech investment programs: the Manufacturing Education and Workforce Development program, nine Manufacturing Innovation Institutes, and the Manufacturing Science and Technology program.
The leadership of the DoD program collaborates with SMBs to promote the development of leading-edge military technologies and address emerging challenges facing modern warfighters. At the forefront of the ManTech Program’s objectives is optimizing military safety by providing personnel access to sophisticated, reliable weapon systems and equipment.
The Companies and Technology ManTech Is Investing In
Over 65 years have passed since the DoD’s ManTech Program was launched. In that time, the program has provided funding to dozens of companies and facilitated the development of innovative technologies.
For instance, the ManTech Program awarded Ricardo Defense an $89 million contract to deliver retrofitted kits to the U.S military. Ricardo Defense produces anti-lock braking system (ABS) kits so the army can retrofit its High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs). During the three-year contract, Ricardo Defense will provide up to 9,840 kits.
Another beneficiary of the ManTech Program is AIM Photonics. The company specializes in advancing the development of silicon photonics, which combines semiconductor lasers and silicon integrated circuits. This technology facilitates the expedited transfer of data compared to standard electronics.
Beacon Technologies is also a long-time DoD partner through ManTech. This software company currently produces several mission-critical systems in every U.S. naval ship.
How ManTech Is Boosting Military Safety
The aforementioned ABS and electronic stability control (ESC) kits developed by Ricardo Defense are an excellent example of ManTech-funded technology improving military safety. By upgrading the braking systems of HMMWVs, Ricardo Defense is proactively mitigating rollover risks associated with one of the military’s most commonly-used wheeled transport vehicles.
AIM Photonics is focusing on improving military safety in another way. They’re applying photonics to facilitate the development of COVID sensors that can detect various strains of COVID-19 from a single droplet of blood. Running the test takes less than 60 seconds, making it an efficient way to see and combat the spread of pathogens among military personnel.
These are just a few examples of ManTech projects keeping U.S. military personnel safe while they protect our nation. In the future, the ManTech Program will remain a valuable catalyst in the efforts to keep America’s military at the edge of innovation. It’s clear that the program wouldn’t have achieved such success if not for the efforts of small businesses like Ricardo Defense and AIM Photonics.