The Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded $15 million to Lehigh Heavy Forge in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, as part of the Defense Production Act Investments (DPAI) program. The funding will be used for press equipment upgrades and to enhance heavy forging production capacity. Specifically, the investment will cover a new forging manipulator for their 10,000-ton open die forging press, improvements to heat treatment furnaces, and the implementation of an automated ultrasonic forging testing program. This initiative aligns with the 2024 National Defense Industrial Strategy aimed at bolstering domestic production and increasing supply chain resilience.

"Heavy forging production is needed across many critical defense applications – including naval ship shafts and critical propulsion and structural components," said Dr. Laura Taylor-Kale, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy (ASD(IBP)). "This award helps address the many capacity challenges faced by the U.S. heavy forge industry resulting from aging equipment and facilities."

Heavy forgings are essential in constructing hulls for Virginia and Columbia class submarines and in ship shafting for submarines, Arleigh Burke destroyers, San Antonio amphibious transport docks, and Ford aircraft carrier classes.

"By restoring, modernizing, and expanding domestic production capability, this award will improve Lehigh Heavy Forge's ability to reliably and efficiently serve the needs of both the DoD and commercial industry as a merchant supplier of heavy forgings," added Mr. Anthony Di Stasio, Director of the Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization (MCEIP) directorate.

This grant is one of 61 awards made by the DPAI program across various sectors totaling $617 million since fiscal year 2024 began. The DPAI program is managed by OASD(IBP)'s MCEIP directorate.

For more information on MCEIP, please visit: https://www.businessdefense.gov/ibr/mceip/index.html

The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy (OASD(IBP)) collaborates with domestic and international partners to maintain a robust, secure, and resilient industrial base that supports current and future warfighter needs.