U.S. DoD Allocates $8.9 M For R&D in Lead-free Electronics in High-Performance Defense Applications

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The U.S. Defense Department (DoD) is taking another step toward understanding and embracing the use of lead-free electronics in high-performance defense areas is by allocating another round of funding to a public-private research effort.

The U.S. Partnership for Assured Electronics (USPAE) is the recipient of an $8.9 million award from the DoD Office of Industrial Policy’s Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) Program to grow the Defense Electronics Consortium (DEC) and expand its work on the Lead-Free Defense Electronics Project.

The project is led by Purdue University, the University of Maryland, and Auburn University. Participants include Binghamton University, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon Technologies, Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, Boeing, Plexus, and many others.

“This award enables us to continue our work to support the defense electronics ecosystem and to accelerate the adoption of lead-free electronics, just as the commercial market has done,” said Christopher Peters, executive director of USPAE. 

The project’s goal is to develop scientific evidence that can help accelerate the adoption of lead-free electronics in aerospace, defense, and other high-performance sectors. Specifically, the team will develop data-driven solder-performance specifications for lead-free solutions in defense systems. The outcome will be a “road map” to help engineers and buyers better understand when lead-free electronics can and cannot be used in high-performance applications. 

The benefits to the DoD will include reduced supply chain risks, faster delivery times, and a greater ability to leverage lead-free commercial technologies. The project is also projected to yield more than $100 million in U.S. defense savings per year. 

The USPAE helps ensure the U.S. government has access to resilient and trusted electronics supply chains. The mission of the DEC, which USPAE established, is to strengthen the economic and force posture of the U.S. defense electronics industrial base.