# Army Seeks Drone-Motor Magnets

The U.S. Army Contracting Command issued a Sources Sought/RFI for commercial-grade N52SH or N42SH neodymium-iron-boron arc-segment magnets used in small uncrewed aircraft system motors. Evolution Metals & Technologies (EM&T) says it submitted a capability statement and proposed staged qualification and lot-level mine-to-magnet traceability. This is market research, not an award or confirmed solicitation; no contract value or follow-on timeline is identified. EM&T reports producing N42SH magnets in Pohang, South Korea, so its response does not establish U.S.-based manufacturing. The stated expansion of DFARS 252.225-7052 sourcing requirements is scheduled for January 1, 2027, 64 days from the current date.

- The Army’s request gives magnet manufacturers and suppliers an opportunity to assess whether their products and qualification capabilities align with the grades and application described before any potential follow-on procurement.
- Companies should evaluate their source-origin documentation and ability to provide lot-level traceability in light of the stated DFARS changes; the signals do not specify the detailed qualification criteria.
- EM&T’s response and South Korean production claims are company-reported. Contractors should distinguish those claims from Army qualification or selection, neither of which has been announced.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** October 28, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Army Contracting Command (ACC)
- U.S. Army (Army)

### Vendors
- Evolution Metals & Technologies Corp. (EM&T) (Sources Sought respondent; prospective magnet supplier)

### Key Quotes
> We already make N42SH commercially, we know how to qualify grades for demanding customers, and we are scaling to approximately 10,000 metric tons in Pohang.
> — Andrew Knaggs, President of EM&T

### Sources
- [ Evolution Metals & Technologies Submits Response to U.S. Army Sources Sought Notice for Rare Earth Magnets Used in Small Drone Motors

 | The Manila Times ](https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/10/29/tmt-newswire/globenewswire/evolution-metals-technologies-submits-response-to-us-army-sources-sought-notice-for-rare-earth-magnets-used-in-small-drone-motors/2456744) - The Manila Times
- [$EMAT already makes what the U.S. Army just asked for. That puts Evolution Metals & Technologies in a category almost nobody else can claim right now.

https://t.co/m64BYG0kns

The U.S. Army Contracting Command issued a Sources Sought notice, market research for companies that ca](https://x.com/TheCapitalJunky/status/2115571438232981579) - twitter-contract-vehicles
- [$EMAT put a response to the U.S. Army on the table today backed by a former Acting Secretary of Defense, a former four-star Air Force general, and a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense. That is not a typical small-cap advisor roster.

https://t.co/U2S5BNVzmw

Today, Evol](https://x.com/MarketPulse360/status/2115577980957098295) - twitter-contract-vehicles