Unfortunately for the U.S. and the West, this entire revolution rests on a single point of failure: Nearly every autonomous system being deployed today is powered by batteries dependent on Chinese-controlled supply chains. If America cannot source and manufacture the batteries that power its drones and autonomous systems, its defense superiority is at risk.
This change brings a stark reality. For the last 100-plus years, access to oil to power tanks, jets, ships, and supply chain lines has determined the outcome of wars. But in a world of unmanned autonomous systems, access to batteries and AI systems is the new competitive advantage. Unfortunately, with batteries, we are behind.
Let’s face it. After nearly 30 years of industrial policy, China has won the battle for lithium-ion dominance. Replicating its strategy just plays into the hands of the monopoly leader at the cost of massively wasted resources. The better path is to leapfrog the lithium-ion technology altogether by accelerating the phase-in of next-generation battery technologies that depend on local supply chains.
Lithium-sulfur batteries represent one of the most promising—and immediately available—alternatives. Unlike conventional lithium-ion technology, lithium-sulfur batteries don’t require Chinese-controlled minerals and processes, such as nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite. Instead, lithium-sulfur is built from materials readily available in the U.S. as byproducts of the existing, massively scaled oil and gas industry.
Additionally, lithium-sulfur is a leap forward in energy density, which means a 30-50% lighter weight battery. In drone applications, every gram matters. A U.S.-sourced, U.S.-manufactured lithium-sulfur battery that flies further and carries more payload, paired with American innovation, is how America can lead the drone revolution.
Several U.S. companies have been racing to commercialize lithium-sulfur technology. Lyten is one of them. We began commercial drone battery production in the second quarter, sourced and manufactured in the U.S., with energy density superior to lithium-ion batteries. The pipeline of interested customers is growing daily across aerospace, defense, supply chain, and industrial sectors—clear evidence of pent-up demand for alternatives to today’s lithium-ion technology.
Now is the time to move with urgency. The U.S. has a superior alternative to lithium-ion technology available today, utilizing a massively scalable, local supply chain, and the manufacturing infrastructure in place to rapidly scale with the right strategic investments. The Defense Production Act grants the federal government authority to accelerate domestic production of critical technologies for national security purposes. President Trump previously used the DPA to boost domestic production of medical supplies during the pandemic. The current battery crisis demands similar urgency.
Starting with drones, it’s time for America to make a statement globally and execute a U.S.-led battery revolution.
The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune.
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