The seven-year agreement covers domestic NMC811 cathode supply for U.S. defense battery cells and packs.
6K Energy and CRG Defense announced a strategic collaboration marking the first step toward building a secure, domestic battery supply chain for U.S. defense and mission-critical applications. The companies have entered into a seven-year agreement that establishes the foundation for long-term cooperation and domestic sourcing of high-performance cathode active materials (CAM) to power next generation, American-made battery cells and packs.
This collaboration lays the groundwork for a strong, enduring relationship focused on strengthening U.S. based battery material production and reducing reliance on foreign supply chains. By aligning early, 6K Energy and CRG Defense are creating a foundation designed to support future expansion and deeper integration across the U.S. battery ecosystem, as well as creating real demand signals to other battery component suppliers expanding capacity in the U.S.
Under the agreement structure, 6K Energy is supplying CRG Defense with single crystal NMC811 cathode material from its current facility in North Andover, MA, with additional capacity coming online in late 2026. As 6K Energy’s state–of–the–art PlusCAM facility in Jackson, Tennessee, comes online in early 2028, the company will meet CRG Defense’s expected growth needs using 6K Energy’s proprietary UniMelt microwave plasma platform. The seven–year agreement underpins 6K Energy’s growth and expansion, and it includes a structured Quarterly Purchase Plan to ensure consistent and reliable supply for CRG Defense’s mission–critical programs.
Meeting new federal mandates
This collaboration arrives at a pivotal moment for the U.S. defense industrial base. Following the FCC’s December 2025 ban on foreign-produced unmanned aerial system (UAS) critical components and Section 842 of the FY 2026 NDAA, which will prohibit the Department of War from procuring batteries from foreign entities of concern, the demand for domestic solutions has never been higher. By utilizing 6K Energy’s U.S. produced CAM products, CRG Defense will deliver fully NDAA compliant, high-energy, battery solutions for applications including next-generation UAS.
6K’s proprietary UniMelt system is a production-scale microwave-based plasma process for the manufacture of advanced materials that is both fast and environmentally friendly. By taking advantage of the unique thermal and chemical properties of microwave plasma, the UniMelt system can dramatically reduce costs and improve throughput and yield while de-risking supply chains and strengthening national security. This enables tailored, domestically produced materials for mission-critical battery applications across defense sectors as well as industrial, energy storage, and motive applications. To learn more about the shifting landscape for battery material production, and to see the power of UniMelt, please visit 6KInc.com.
For more information, visit 6kinc.com.
