The U.S. Department of War (DoW) announced a $27.3 million investment in Pacific Scientific Energetic Materials Company (PacSci EMC) in Chandler, Arizona, on April 20, 2026, to expand and enhance the solid rocket motor (SRM) industrial base. This funding, utilizing Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III funds, is part of a broader $191 million series of investments made since December 2024 to bolster supply chain resiliency and increase domestic production in strategic priority areas.
PacSci EMC will use the investment to scale up production of the universal Arm Fire Device (AFD), a critical safety component for SRM applications. The company plans to establish a fully integrated manufacturing facility, aiming to enhance operational efficiency, reduce errors, and streamline delivery systems. Michael Duffey, the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment, emphasized the department's focus, saying, "The DoW is focused on rapidly expanding and accelerating munitions production, driving a surge in demand for SRMs. Strengthening supply chains through smart investments will help alleviate SRM shortfalls by increasing capacity and reducing manufacturing lead times for key components."
The Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy (OASW(IBP)) has overseen nine investments in the SRM industrial base under a Defense Industrial Base Consortium Other Transaction Agreement (DIBC OTA) solicitation. Other significant investments include $5 million to Systima Technologies Inc. for SRM nozzle production, $27.7 million to R.E. Darling Co., Inc. for case insulation materials, $12.6 million to Americarb Inc. for carbonized rayon phenolic, and $20.9 million to General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems for new composite rocket nozzles.
Further investments include $5.1 million to SPARC Research LLC for rocket motor components, $9.3 million to ICF Mercantile LLC for domestic rayon filament cellulose precursor rayon, $25.2 million to Materials Resources LLC for SRM metallic cases via additive manufacturing, and $58 million to Anduril Industries, Inc. to modernize and expand its SRM production. These efforts collectively aim to strengthen the domestic industrial base and ensure the timely provision of materials and technologies for warfighters.
The new investment in PacSci EMC is one of five totaling $482.6 million made by the DPA Purchases Office since the beginning of fiscal year 2026, overseen by the Warfighting Investment, Resourcing, and Execution (WIRE) Directorate. The OASW(IBP) continues to work with partners to sustain a robust, secure, and resilient industrial base.