Trade association warns against implementation delays, highlighting critical US reliance on Chinese, Russian, Iranian, and North Korean components.
The Printed Circuit Board Association of America (PCBAA) has called on the US Department of Defense (DoD) to adhere strictly to its upcoming 1 January 2027 deadline to eliminate Chinese, Russian, Iranian, and North Korean components from critical defence supply chains.
The mandate follows guidance provided by the US Congress five years ago, instructing the Pentagon to formulate a comprehensive plan to secure these technology supply chains—a period the PCBAA considers more than sufficient to complete the task. As the deadline nears, the Pentagon is currently undertaking rulemaking and has gathered feedback from industry stakeholders.
Multiple studies conducted by the DoD and other government agencies have underscored the urgent necessity of bolstering domestic printed circuit board (PCB) and printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) manufacturing. Industry advocates argue that robust onshore production is essential to guarantee a secure, reliable supply of these foundational electronic components.
PCBAA Executive Director David Schild rejected proposals to ease or postpone the restrictions, stating: “The Department of War needs access to the best commercial technology. We disagree that the way to get it is to widen a loophole large enough for Chinese parts to slip through.” Schild added that Congressional intent was unambiguous, noting: “Congress told the Pentagon five years ago to eliminate our reliance on foreign PCBs, and this rule is the Department’s first real attempt to do it. Congress could not have been clearer: every month of delay is a month our warfighters remain dependent on components we cannot trust.”
The association warned that arguments calling for implementation delays risk trapping the United States in a precarious state of dependency on foreign nations, particularly China. While US policymakers debate the issue, China and other Asian states continue to invest billions of dollars into their domestic PCB industries, expanding their capabilities in complex, high-end circuit boards required for artificial intelligence and advanced applications.
The PCBAA contends that the Defence Industrial Base (DIB) requires trusted, secure microelectronics across all applications—whether deployed in commercial dual-use products or dedicated military defence systems. The trade body has urged the Pentagon to maintain the 2027 target while simultaneously advancing incentives and policies designed to reshore and rebuild the domestic American industry.
