Advanced manufacturing  is of critical importance to both the economic competitiveness and national security of the United States. The ability of the U.S. to sustain its technological superiority rests on its ability to enhance the productivity and security of its manufacturing sector and maintain dynamic awareness of the emerging drivers affecting global manufacturing systems, capabilities, and communities.

It is important that US R&D investment strategies are informed through an understanding of:

• The incentives, constraints, and vulnerabilities associated with the industrial base and its supplier network;
• The opportunities and risks presented by emerging and disruptive commercial technologies;
• The dynamics of the emerging global competitive landscape.