A newly released report by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) underscores the irreplaceable role of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in safeguarding national security, highlighting their critical function across a wide range of defense applications.
The report builds on the Biden-era DoD PFAS inventory by moving from identification to action, seeking to prioritize investments, safeguard supply chains, and coordinate across government, industry, and academia.
The 2025 DoD Report on Critical Uses of PFAS reaffirms that PFAS are essential to the performance, safety, and reliability of mission-critical systems, from advanced batteries and microelectronics to protective gear and medical devices.
The report outlines a phased strategy to explore alternatives but acknowledges that many PFAS applications have no viable substitutes and that developing replacements could take 10 to 25 years or more.
According to the report, “No PFAS-free alternative has been developed which can provide any level of oil repellency... a suitable replacement could be 10+ years away.” And “Replacing PFAS in semiconductor fabrication could be a 25-year effort and may not succeed in all respects.”
PFAS are a diverse group of chemistries with varying health and environmental profiles. PFAS producers play a vital role in maintaining the resilience of the U.S. defense industrial base. The report warns that regulatory uncertainty and market exits could lead to supply chain disruptions, forcing reliance on foreign sources, including adversarial nations.
“There is a need to ensure that the dwindling number of domestic PFAS manufacturers remain able to and capable of providing PFAS critical to national security… Otherwise, sourcing of mission critical PFAS may come from China and other foreign entities of concern, defeating the purpose of establishing domestic supply chains for key sectors such as semiconductors, batteries, and energetics,“ the DoD report states.
As the DoD continues to evaluate alternatives, ACC members remain committed to innovation, safety, and supporting national defense priorities.
