FUSE Act

This bill, known as the FUSE Act, directs the Secretary of Defense to establish a pilot program focused on the safety and qualification of printable energetic feedstocks for controlled additive manufacturing applications. The program, overseen by the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, aims to determine if these advanced materials can enhance handling safety, process stability, and supply chain resilience compared to conventional energetics manufacturing. A core objective is to analyze the logistical impacts, develop new test and evaluation methods, and assess the applicability of these feedstocks to munition modernization efforts. The pilot program will also identify barriers to adoption, including infrastructure and certification requirements. Activities may include characterizing feedstocks, developing qualification criteria, and conducting limited demonstrations. Crucially, the bill mandates a comparative safety assessment , evaluating hazards, risks, and process safety of printable feedstocks against traditional methods. All activities must adhere to strict explosive safety, security, and cybersecurity requirements, including counter-diversion safeguards and controlled dissemination of manufacturing parameters. The Secretary of Defense is required to submit annual reports to congressional defense committees for the program's duration, which is limited to five years. These reports will detail pilot objectives, test results, safety assessment findings, cost and scalability analyses, and recommendations for qualification pathways or necessary legislative actions.