Department of War Announces a $100 Million Follow-on Equity Investment in Atalco to Secure the Sole Remaining Domestic Alumina Refinery

View Online Department of War Announces a $100 Million Follow-on Equity Investment in Atalco to Secure the Sole Remaining Domestic Alumina Refinery Aug. 28, 2026 |  By War.gov The Department of War's (DoW) Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy (OASW(IBP)), in partnership with the Economic Defense Unit (EDU), announced today a $100 million follow-on preferred equity investment in Atlantic Alumina Company LLC (Atalco) through the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program. "Our national defense strategy relies on a robust and self-sufficient industrial base," said the Honorable Michael Cadenazzi, Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy. "Investing in Atalco ensures the United States maintains its domestic alumina refining capability, mitigating a critical supply chain risk and protecting our military readiness from foreign interference." This latest action brings the Department's total investment in Atalco to $400 million. Critically, DoW's funding has catalyzed $350 million in parallel investments from Atalco's current backers , with an additional $50 million expected within the next 75 days, bringing total third-party investments to $400 million. These collective strategic investments, totaling $800 million, will secure operations at the last remaining domestic alumina refinery, preserving a vital node in the U.S. defense industrial base. Both the DoW's and private capital's follow-on investments will purchase Class A Preferred Units, providing the liquidity necessary to sustain operations, overcome unsustainable foreign competition, and fund capital expenditures to bring the facility back to its nameplate capacity of 1.2 million metric tons of alumina per year. The DoW requires 200,000 metric tons of metallurgical aluminum annually. While Atalco currently satisfies 60 percent of this demand, this investment will scale production to fulfill 142 percent of the Department's projected demand by 2029. With 99.3 percent of the refinery's output dedicated to national security subsectors, the project significantly insulates the U.S. from supply-chain dependence on foreign adversaries. "This transaction is structurally anchored to protect U.S. taxpayer capital while providing the targeted liquidity necessary to scale production," said George K. Kollitides II, Director of the Economic Defense Unit. "By investing in this strategic asset, DoW mobilized $400 million of private capital and attracted a world-class independent board of directors to accelerate the development of our domestic capabilities and bridge a vital gap in the aluminum supply chain." Without this near-term investment, financial and operational stresses would likely force the closure of both the refinery and its affiliated mining operations. This agreement preserves approximately 875 direct jobs across refining, mining, logistics, and port operations, including 530 refinery employees in Gramercy. The Gramercy facility converts imported bauxite into domestically refined alumina, accounting for roughly 55 percent of domestic alumina demand. It serves as a critical feedstock for aluminum production across the U.S. economy, supplying Century Aluminum smelters in Kentucky, the Mt. Holly smelter in South Carolina, and major manufacturing facilities across Texas, North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, and Mississippi. This strategic partnership demonstrates the Department's ability to synchronize public and private sector efforts to meet urgent national security demands. Bolstered by the integration of third-party capital, this unified approach has empowered the United States to act decisively in establishing a resilient and enduring domestic aluminum supply chain for the future.

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Department of War Announces $35.6 Million Strategic Equity Investment in Trilogy Metals to Secure Critical Copper, Cobalt, and Germanium Supplies in Northwest Alaska

View Online Department of War Announces $35.6 Million Strategic Equity Investment in Trilogy Metals to Secure Critical Copper, Cobalt, and Germanium Supplies in Northwest Alaska Aug. 28, 2026 |  By War.gov The Department of War's (DoW) Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy (IBP), in partnership with the Economic Defense Unit (EDU), announced today a $35.6 million equity investment in Trilogy Metals Inc. (NYSE: TMQ) through the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program. This strategic partnership establishes a secure, domestic supply of copper, cobalt, germanium, and other critical minerals essential for national defense systems and the broader U.S. Defense Industrial Base. Under the terms of the executed agreement, DoW's $35.6 million investment secures a 10% direct ownership stake in Trilogy Metals, along with 7.5% in penny warrants, representing a total combined U.S. government economic position of 17.5%. These funds will be directed to support exploration, engineering, and infrastructure development at the Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects (UKMP) in Northwest Alaska, a district-scale, under-explored land package managed under a 50/50 joint venture (Ambler Metals LLC) between Trilogy Metals and South32 Limited. "To build a robust Defense Industrial Base, we must secure the foundational materials that enable it," said the Honorable Mike Cadenazzi, Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy. "This partnership with Trilogy Metals is a decisive investment in America's supply chain independence and our long-term national security." The transaction directly follows the revival and approval of the Ambler Road Project, a proposed 211-mile industrial access road from the Dalton Highway to the remote UKMP district, which was declared crucial for national security to facilitate the extraction of strategic minerals. The project is projected to create more than 2,730 construction jobs and 500 long-term mining jobs in Alaska, generating over $1.1 billion in state revenues, while driving downstream smelting, refining, and high-value manufacturing across multiple states including Arizona, Utah, Texas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. "The Department is tirelessly working to secure the critical minerals needed to build and sustain America's defense and economy," said George K. Kollitides II, Director of the Economic Defense Unit. "This investment puts the taxpayer and our warfighters first by taking decisive action to protect our economy from manipulation, revitalize our industrial base, and create thousands of American jobs that will support our national security for decades to come." The UKMP contains massive deposits of critical materials, including the Arctic volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposit, which is one of the highest-grade undeveloped copper deposits in the world. Additionally, the adjacent Bornite project hosts substantial copper, cobalt, and germanium reserves. These materials are the foundation of our defense systems and modern economy, powering electrical infrastructure, defense platforms, datacenters, and advanced electronics.

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Sky Soldiers Train for Modern Conflict in Europe's Premier Crucible Event

View Online Sky Soldiers Train for Modern Conflict in Europe's Premier Crucible Event Aug. 28, 2026 |  By U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa More than 2,300 paratroopers assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade, along with more than 2,100 allied and partner forces from 10 nations are participating in Exercise Saber Junction 26 at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany.   Overseen by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, the rotation is designed to validate warfighting readiness, strengthen NATO interoperability and prepare forces for large-scale combat operations across the European theater.  Exercise Saber Junction 26 tests the brigade's ability to rapidly deploy, conduct joint forcible entry, execute offensive and defensive operations, and regenerate combat power in a contested environment. The exercise incorporates lessons learned from ongoing conflicts, including electronic warfare, unmanned aerial systems, dispersed maneuver and contested communications.   Southern European Task Force, Africa serves as the division-level higher command for the rotation, integrating U.S. and allied formations, issuing division orders, maintaining the common operating picture, and rehearsing mission command essential for operations across Europe and Africa.  "Saber Junction is where our soldiers and our allies prove they are ready for the demands of modern war," said Army Maj. Gen. Matthew W. Brown, Southern European Task Force, Africa commander. "This rotation is a crucible event — designed to expose gaps, accelerate learning and ensure that formations are trained and lethal. The 173rd continues to demonstrate that disciplined application of the fundamentals, ground-up innovation and persistence remain the hallmarks of a combat-credible force. The brigade is ready — and the lessons we gather here help our Army scale innovation at pace and strengthen NATO's collective readiness."   The exercise also highlights modernization efforts within the 173rd Airborne Brigade, including the work of the bayonet innovation team, the brigade's internal innovation cell comprised of paratroopers, engineers, warrant officers and technical specialists. The team designs, builds and fields low-cost, high-impact technologies such as first-person view drones, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms, ground robots and artificial intelligence-enabled tools. It operates a facility that can produce drones in-house and integrates lessons from Ukraine, Joint Multinational Readiness Center rotations and multinational exercises to help the brigade adapt rapidly and strengthen NATO interoperability. "Our standards are nonnegotiable: disciplined, lethal and relentless. Saber Junction is where we put those expectations to the test," said Army Col. Mark E. Bush, 173rd Airborne Brigade commander. "This exercise validates our ability to deploy at the time of need, fight and succeed regardless of the mission environment or enemy capability and posture the brigade for future operations. Through the character, competence and commitment of our Sky Soldiers, we will deliver overwhelming firepower, maneuver aggressively and accomplish the mission alongside our allies."  Exercise Saber Junction 26 includes participants from Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, and the United States. The exercise strengthens multinational interoperability and accelerates combined decision making across the European theater.

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Week in Photos

Week in Photos Discover the latest on DOW's missions, milestones and people through this curated collection of top photos. View Photos All Photo Collections

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Signers of the Declaration of Independence: Massachusetts: Part 2

View Online Signers of the Declaration of Independence: Massachusetts: Part 2 Aug. 28, 2026 | By David Vergun   Delegates to the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The 56 delegates who signed the formal break from Britain are all considered Founding Fathers. Massachusetts had five delegates. This week's profile features Elbridge Gerry, John Hancock and Robert Treat Paine. Their signatures are grouped in a compact block in the middle of the document, with Hancock's signature standing out visually because of its size. Elbridge Gerry Gerry was born to Thomas Gerry, a wealthy merchant, and Elizabeth Greenleaf, July 17, 1744, in Marblehead, Massachusetts. He was one of 11 children, though only five survived into adulthood. He was educated by private tutors before entering Harvard College just before his 14th birthday. Gerry graduated with a master's degree from Harvard University in 1765; his thesis argued that the colonists should resist the recently passed Stamp Act. After college, he joined his father's thriving merchant business. Gerry married Ann Thompson, Feb. 12, 1786, and they had nine children: Catharine, Eliza, Ann, Elbridge Gerry Jr., Thomas Russell, Helen Maria, James Thompson, Eleanor Stanford and Emily Louisa. As a delegate in the Second Continental Congress, Gerry advocated for independence and had a significant role in financing the Revolutionary War. During the 1787 Constitutional Convention, he refused to sign the Constitution because it lacked a bill of rights. The U.S. Constitution was ratified June 21, 1788. Gerry later served in the inaugural U.S. House of Representatives, 1789-1793, where he helped draft the Bill of Rights and championed amendments protecting individual and state liberties. The Bill of Rights was ratified Dec. 15, 1791. President John Adams appointed Gerry to a U.S. diplomatic mission to France, which led to the XYZ Affair, a scandal in which French agents demanded bribes from American diplomats, nearly leading to war between the two countries. The fallout from the controversy led Gerry to eventually align himself with the Democratic-Republican Party. After several unsuccessful bids for governor of Massachusetts, Gerry was elected to the office in 1810. During his governorship, he approved a redistricting plan that favored his party and led to the term "gerrymandering," coined by a political cartoonist. In 1813, Gerry became vice president under President James Madison, serving until his death, Nov. 23, 1814. Gerry was buried at the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, and is the only signer of the Declaration of Independence to be interred in the District of Columbia. A monument honoring him also stands there. His wife died March 17, 1849, the last surviving widow of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. She was buried at Grove Street Cemetery in New Haven, Connecticut. The towns of Gerry and Elbridge, both in New York, were named in his honor. John Hancock Hancock was born to the Rev. John Hancock Jr., a Congregational minister, and Mary Hawke Thaxter, Jan. 23, 1737, in Braintree (part of present-day Quincy), Massachusetts. He had two siblings. After his father's death in 1744, Hancock was adopted by his wealthy uncle, Thomas Hancock, and inherited a thriving mercantile business making him one of the richest men in New England. Hancock's education began under the guidance of his uncle. He attended Boston Latin School and was admitted to Harvard College in 1750. He graduated in 1754 with a bachelor's degree. After college, he went to Great Britain, where he spent four years learning business and the import-export trade. He married Dorothy Quincy Scott on Aug. 28, 1775. They had two children, neither of whom survived to adulthood. Although Hancock was wealthy, he supported the patriot cause. The British suspected he was smuggling wine and seized his ship, the Liberty. The seizure sparked riots in Boston against customs officials. Hancock attended town meetings that led to the Boston Tea Party and encouraged the colonists by saying, "Let every man do what is right in his own eyes." He was deeply involved in the American Revolution, helping organize the Continental Army and efforts against the British. As the president of the Second Continental Congress, Hancock was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence and his signature is the largest and most flamboyant of the signers. Today, when someone asks for "your John Hancock," they are asking for you to sign a document indicating commitment to an agreement, as Hancock did for liberty. The idiom has been used since the mid-19th century. Hancock played a key role in Massachusetts' ratification of the U.S. Constitution and supported the Bill of Rights. And he served as the first and third governor of Massachusetts, 1780 to 1785 and 1787 to 1793. Hancock died Oct. 8, 1793, and his wife died Feb. 3, 1830. Both are buried at the Granary Burying Ground in Boston. Likenesses of Hancock can be found in several locations in Massachusetts, including a bust at Doric Hall at the Massachusetts State House and a statue at Hancock Adams Common in Boston. A full-length marble statue of Hancock, part of the National Statuary Hall Collection, is on display in the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Six Navy ships have been named in his honor. There are 10 states with counties named for him, and towns named Hancock in Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, Michigan, New Hampshire and New York. Robert Treat Paine Paine was born to Thomas Paine, a former minister turned merchant, and Eunice Treat, March 11, 1731, in Boston. His siblings were Abigail and Eunice. He married Sally Cobb, March 15, 1770, and they had eight children who survived to adulthood: Robert, Sally, Thomas, Charles, Henry, Mary, Maria Antoinetta and Lucretia. Paine attended Boston Latin School, was admitted to Harvard College at age 14, and graduated in 1749. He briefly taught at Boston Latin School before pursuing a law career, studying under several mentors in Massachusetts, and was admitted to the bar in 1757. In 1761, Paine moved from Boston to Taunton, Massachusetts, where he gained recognition as a skilled lawyer and established his professional reputation. In the aftermath of the 1770 Boston Massacre, Paine served as a prosecuting attorney, alongside Samuel Quincy, in the trials of British soldiers involved in the killing of five civilians. Future signer of the Declaration of Independence and president, John Adams, served as the defense attorney for the soldiers, most of whom were acquitted. Paine returned to Massachusetts after his service in the Second Continental Congress and was elected speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1777 before he took on the role of the state's first attorney general, serving from 1777 to 1790. He had many important cases, including the treason trial of participants in Shay's Rebellion, an armed uprising of farmers protesting high taxation and economic hardship. Paine went on to serve as an associate justice on the Massachusetts Supreme Court from 1790 to 1804. On May 4, 1780, Paine became a founding member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, along with John Adams, John Hancock, Samuel Adams and others. Among the academy's future members were Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. Paine died May 11, 1814, and was buried in Boston's Granary Burying Ground, which is also the resting place of several Boston Massacre victims. His wife died June 6, 1816, and was buried alongside Paine. A statue of Paine stands on a traffic island in front of the city hall in Taunton. The Robert Treat Paine Chapter of the Massachusetts Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, also in Taunton, is named for him. This is the 13th installment in a series of articles about the men who signed the Declaration of Independence. The 56 delegates to the Second Continental Congress, representing the 13 colonies, are all considered Founding Fathers.

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