Metal additive manufacturing is increasingly finding its way into the defense industry and the armed forces worldwide. It’s crucial for the repair or maintenance of equipment, shortening lead times of traditional supply chains, and for field deployment, producing parts directly…
A shift is underway in drone manufacturing. Government programs like the U.S. Department of War’s Drone Dominance, a $1.1 billion effort to deliver low-cost, one-way attack (OWA) sUAS at scale, are driving urgent demand for drones that are inexpensive, resilient, and…
I’ve been tracking the US Navy’s additive manufacturing (AM) buildup as it relates to submarines for a while now, and even amidst the AM efforts that all the branches have embarked upon throughout this decade, the metal AM program for subs remains…
Marines are applying advances in 3D-printed concrete to military uses ranging from ramps to makeshift railheads, according to the operations chief of the 9th Engineer Support Battalion. First conceived in the 1930s, 3D concrete printing gained momentum in the 1980s…
The U.S. Army is shifting its approach to battlefield logistics by expanding the use of 3D printing for rapid equipment repair. Under a new policy, field commanders now have the authority to approve the use of 3D-printed replacement parts without…
The UK defence sector is missing out on major savings by failing to adopt additive manufacturing as a mainstream production method, an industry leader has warned. Highlighted at the DSEI defence and security exhibition in London last week, Craig Pyser, chair of Additive…
The Expeditionary 3D Concrete Printer supports warfighters and sustains operations in contested environments […] “By building with concrete, occupants of these buildings are far more protected from blasts, fragmentation, and small-arms fire,” said Vickers. The ability to print curved walls,…
American defense firm CoAspire has test-launched its 3D-printed Rapidly Adaptable Affordable Cruise Missile (RAACM) from a fighter jet. The missile has the same physical dimensions as a 500-pound (227-kilogram) class MK-82 general-purpose or GBU-38 guided bomb. CoAspire explained that the RAACM is…
US shipbuilding firm Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has successfully installed a 3D printed valve manifold assembly into a new US Navy aircraft carrier. The United States’ largest military shipbuilder has installed over 55 3D printed parts to-date at its Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division. It plans…
Just as traffic lights and road signs inform drivers and warn them about upcoming hazards, aids to navigation, such as lighthouses, buoys, and radio beacons help mariners navigate waters and identify potential risks. The [US] Coast Guard is responsible for…