Officials tell appropriators DPA, certification and supplier investment are key to resolving munitions and supply-chain bottlenecks

During questioning, members raised supply-chain vulnerabilities highlighted by recent plant disruptions and fires. The assistant secretary said the office runs Project Fail Safe and coordinates with the Defense Contract Management Agency and services to monitor suppliers and has re-start efforts for production lines affected by incidents such as Garden Grove.

The official urged reauthorization of the Defense Production Act and said the office is deploying DPA title 3 investments, voluntary agreements (DPA title 7), and other authorities to catalyze factory modernization and supplier certification. He said the department is building a capacity study for solid rocket motors and that roughly 12–13 companies are pursuing production, which the office hopes to translate into a more resilient, multi-source industrial base.

Members pressed about range and test capacity (for weapons, UAS and undersea systems); the assistant secretary said ranges are underinvested and need instrumentation and statutory update to support more rapid qualification and operational testing.