Report on Defense Department’s lithium supply chain and applications for future advanced military capabilities

(a) Report required Not later than March 1, 2026, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a report on the Department of Defense’s current supply and anticipated need for lithium. (b) Elements The report required by subsection (a) shall include the following: (1) An assessment of crucial military electronics, communication devices, infrastructure, vehicles, and conventional and nuclear weapons infrastructure that utilize lithium compounds, including lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, and lithium metals. (2) An assessment of the Department’s anticipated demand for lithium compounds and lithium-based materials for future advanced weapons systems, including unmanned surface, aerial, and underwater vessels requiring modular battery systems, and for energy storage solutions to enhance power grid resilience and advance artificial intelligence data center systems. (3) An assessment of potential lithium supply-chain risks that pose a threat to military readiness and the feasibility of leveraging and partnering with commercial industry to strengthen the supply of lithium and address identified vulnerabilities. (4) A description of the Department’s current and anticipated use of procurement authorities for obtaining domestically processed critical minerals, including lithium.