America's defense renaissance depends on manufacturers you've never heard of

We all know that Washington, D.C., has spent the past several years debating defense budgets, supply chain resilience, and industrial policy. 

Yet one of the most important lessons emerging from America’s renewed focus on national security is that military superiority is not built solely by billion-dollar weapons platforms, but upon thousands of highly specialized manufacturers producing the components that make those platforms function.

Electric motion-control technology is but one example.

Whether powering precision actuators inside guided munitions, unmanned aerial systems, robotics, satellite systems, advanced manufacturing equipment, or aircraft support systems, electric motors have become indispensable to modern defense and aerospace production. As the Department of War accelerates investments in autonomous systems, hypersonic technologies, advanced aircraft, and next-generation manufacturing, demand for reliable, American-made motion-control solutions will only increase.

This reality has significant implications not only for manufacturers throughout the country but also for policymakers in Washington, D.C.

The United States is entering what many analysts describe as the largest defense industrial expansion since the Cold War. Defense spending continues to climb as geopolitical competition with China, Russia, Iran, and other adversaries drives modernization across every military branch. At the same time, Pentagon leaders have repeatedly warned that the U.S.’s industrial base remains vulnerable after decades of offshoring and supplier consolidation.

Those vulnerabilities often exist several tiers beneath the nation’s largest defense contractors.

Behind every fighter aircraft, missile defense system, autonomous vehicle, naval platform, or advanced radar are hundreds — perhaps even thousands — of specialized suppliers manufacturing precision components that rarely receive public attention. These companies provide the mechanical and electrical building blocks that enable larger defense systems to operate reliably under demanding conditions.

Among those suppliers are American motion-control manufacturers such as the 150-year-old Magmotor Technologies, whose portfolio of brushed and brushless DC motors, customized servo systems, and engineered motion solutions serves industries ranging from robotics and automation to aerospace and defense. The company has built expertise in highly customizable motion-control systems capable of being tailored for specialized applications requiring precision, durability, and reliability.

That capability aligns with an important trend reshaping defense acquisition.

Today’s military increasingly relies upon electrically actuated systems rather than purely hydraulic or mechanical designs. Modern unmanned aircraft, autonomous ground vehicles, satellite positioning systems, precision manufacturing equipment, and intelligent robotics all depend upon compact, high-performance electric motors capable of operating under demanding environmental conditions.

The rapid expansion of unmanned systems illustrates this evolution. 

From reconnaissance drones to autonomous logistics platforms, electrically powered systems require increasingly sophisticated motion-control technologies to improve efficiency, reduce maintenance requirements, and enhance operational precision. Quiet electric propulsion also offers advantages for surveillance and other mission profiles where minimizing acoustic signatures is critical.

The aerospace manufacturing sector reflects similar trends.

Aircraft manufacturers continue replacing heavier mechanical systems with lighter, electrically driven alternatives that improve fuel efficiency while simplifying maintenance. Satellites and space systems likewise depend upon compact electric motors for deployment mechanisms, antenna positioning, optical systems, and precision guidance.

For Washington policymakers seeking to strengthen domestic manufacturing, this represents an opportunity.

Rather than focusing exclusively on headline-grabbing weapons programs, federal procurement strategies should continue encouraging deeper investment throughout America’s supplier ecosystem. Small and medium-sized manufacturers frequently possess decades of engineering expertise that cannot easily be replicated if production shifts overseas.

Motion-control manufacturers demonstrate this principle particularly well. 

Designing high-performance electric motors involves advanced materials science, precision machining, magnetic engineering, thermal management, electronics integration, and rigorous quality assurance. Those capabilities support not only defense but also medical devices, semiconductor manufacturing, industrial automation, and emerging robotics industries — creating spillover benefits across the broader economy.

And maintaining this industrial capacity also strengthens economic resilience.

According to the National Association of Manufacturers, manufacturing contributes nearly $2.9 trillion annually to the U.S. economy and supports more than 13 million American jobs. Meanwhile, Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute project the U.S. could face millions of unfilled manufacturing positions over the coming decade if workforce development fails to keep pace with demand.

That workforce challenge is particularly acute for precision manufacturing, where experienced machinists, electrical engineers, and production specialists remain in short supply.

Companies investing in advanced domestic manufacturing, therefore, serve a strategic purpose extending well beyond their immediate customer base. They preserve technical expertise, shorten supply chains, reduce geopolitical risk, and strengthen the U.S.’s ability to respond rapidly during periods of heightened international tension.

None of this suggests that any single supplier will determine America’s future in defense. Rather, it underscores an often-overlooked reality: military readiness depends upon thousands of companies quietly solving engineering problems every day.

Washington’s renewed emphasis on rebuilding the defense industrial base should recognize these contributors accordingly.

The U.S.’s competitive advantage has never rested solely on the size of its defense budget. It has depended equally upon its ability to innovate, manufacture, and scale complex technologies faster than strategic competitors.

That advantage begins long before final assembly. It begins with the manufacturers whose components make advanced defense systems possible.

In an era where resilience has become a national security imperative, strengthening America’s precision manufacturing base, including companies producing advanced motion-control technologies, may prove every bit as important as developing the next generation of military platforms.

Duggan Flanakin is a CFACT Policy Analyst.