U.S. Army Competitively Selects Vulcan Elements to Supply High-Performance Rare Earth Magnets for SkyFoundry Drone Initiative
Award recognizes Vulcan's proven domestic rare earth magnet manufacturing capability
DURHAM, N.C., Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Vulcan Elements, an American rare earth magnet manufacturer, today announced its competitive selection by the U.S. Army to supply high-performance Neodymium Iron Boron magnets for the Army's SkyFoundry drone initiative.
SkyFoundry is the Army's vertically-integrated effort to produce small drones that aims to produce one million drones per year in the United States, at the Tobyhanna Army Depot in Pennsylvania.
Vulcan was competitively selected after providing data sheets that matched the high-performance specifications required by the Army. A key requirement of the solicitation was "a fully domestic, vertically integrated manufacturing process." The Army also required multiple evaluations of Vulcan's capability and past performance by current customers.
"Rare earth magnets are foundational to the military capabilities that we need to defend our country, including drones. Vulcan is working every day to bring this vital capability back to American soil," said John Maslin, CEO of Vulcan Elements. "As small drone systems become even more critical on the modern battlefield, we're committed to ensuring that our military can manufacture them without having to ask for permission. This isn't just a manufacturing challenge; it's a national security imperative."
Vulcan has developed a proven solution to one of the country's most critical economic vulnerabilities, and to its knowledge is the world's only rare earth magnet company that is decoupled from China—down to the material, technology, software, IP, and ownership. Vulcan's magnets will enable the Army's production of brushless direct current motors—the primary engine powering the Army's small drone capabilities. The award is Vulcan's 10th Department of War contract to date, spanning multiple administrations and every branch of the U.S. military, across some of its highest priority programs.
This award highlights Vulcan's demonstrated ability to manufacture high-performance magnets for both defense and commercial customers. Vulcan Elements' Benson, North Carolina, manufacturing facility currently under construction will be the cornerstone of a domestic rare earth magnet supply chain and the largest rare earth magnet factory outside of China. The 1.1 million-square-foot facility will have an annual capacity of 10,000 metric tons of magnet production and will supply magnets for critical defense systems, semiconductor fabrication, robotics, drones, AI infrastructure, automobiles, and other strategic technologies and sectors of the American economy. The project will create approximately 1,000 manufacturing jobs in the United States while reshoring an essential capability that has been controlled and weaponized by America's competitors for decades.
About Vulcan Elements
Vulcan Elements is an American rare earth magnet manufacturer driven by a core mission: to rebuild a secure, resilient rare earth magnet supply chain for America and its allies, and enable the technologies that will define the 21st century. Vulcan's world-class engineering, scientific rigor, and uncompromising work ethic are onshoring a fundamental capability to the United States and setting a new standard for advanced rare earth magnet production. The company partners across the public and private sectors to advance economic competitiveness, revitalize the industrial workforce, and strengthen national security.
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SOURCE Vulcan Elements
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