3D Printing Mission-Critical Military Parts

Despite growing momentum, additive manufacturing in the defense sector still faces significant obstacles to widespread adoption. Many of these challenges mirror those seen in other industries, such as a shortage of skilled operators, a lack of standardized certification protocols, and a growing concern about digital security. In other words, the bottleneck isn’t as much in the 3D printing technologies themselves, but in the surrounding ecosystem of people, standards, and policies.

Alexander Champion, an Additive Manufacturing Engineer for the UK’s Ministry of Defense (MoD), stated that, “deployed military such as soldiers in the Army started with FDM printing. This is a very fast and affordable way to learn how additive manufacturing can support.” This grassroots exposure has been an effective entry point, but scaling additive manufacturing beyond basic FDM applications requires a more advanced and widespread skill base.

The successful integration of AM technologies into military workflows hinges on having personnel trained in 3D design, machine operation, and digital file management. As the complexity of systems and materials increases, ranging from high-performance, specialized polymers to binder-jetted metal alloys, so does the need for a trained engineering workforce capable of operating industrial-grade systems and managing the digital infrastructure that supports them.

Another major roadblock is certification, especially for flight-critical or safety-critical components. Traditional military supply chains rely on rigorously qualified parts produced using well-understood manufacturing methods. AM disrupts that model with faster, more flexible production, but it also introduces questions about reliability and inspection standards.

According to the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, “It currently takes 18 months on average for a supercomputer to evaluate a single 3D part and predict its lifespan or expected date of failure.” However, a DARPA-backed initiative has recently been launched to tackle this exact issue. The program aims to accelerate the certification of 3D printed parts by developing new computational models and material behavior simulations that can predict performance without requiring extensive destructive testing. If successful, this approach could reduce qualification timelines and make it easier to approve AM parts for use in aircraft, vehicles, and weapons systems while maintaining safety and quality.

The Pentagon is ramping up production of low-cost drones to outpace adversaries and reinforce battlefield dominance. According to Emil Michael, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, “Drones are the biggest battlefield innovation in a generation.”

Backed by a presidential executive order and the removal of production barriers, the Department of Defense (DoD) is prioritizing rapid innovation, cost efficiency, and realistic training. As global rivals mass-produce millions of drones, the U.S. aims to scale deployment of lethal, AI-powered systems built by American engineers.

This growing demand is not just about volume; it’s about evolving capability. Modern drones must be agile, lightweight, low-cost, and field-ready within months, not years. This urgency had led to a surge in the adoption of additive manufacturing (AM).

Firestorm Labs is pioneering a breakthrough in battlefield-ready unmanned aerial systems (UAS) with the development of what it calls the world’s first fully modular, 3D-printed warfare drone. Backed by over $147 million in funding, Firestorm is rapidly scaling production of drones designed for swift deployment, adaptability, and cost efficiency. This includes a $100 million contract from the U.S. Air Force and a $47 million Series A round led by New Enterprise Associates (NEA), with participation from Lockheed Martin Ventures and other defense-focused investors.

Each Firestorm drone consists of 80% 3D-printed parts, allowing for fast deployment and flexible design updates without extensive retooling. The platform supports swappable payloads, including kinetic and electronic warfare systems, and is intended to counteract mass drone production by foreign adversaries with scalable, lethal alternatives made in the U.S.

To meet urgent demands for battlefield-ready drones, the U.S. Army is investing in agile, unit-level additive manufacturing capabilities. In partnership with MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory, the Army is actively testing a fleet of small, 3D printed drones engineered for CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear) reconnaissance missions.

These drones are produced using a combination of HP Multi Jet Fusion and Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technologies, enabling rapid fabrication of lightweight, mission-specific airframes. Each drone is outfitted with autonomous navigation, on-board AI, and environmental sensors capable of detecting airborne toxins or trace contaminants in real time. The use of AM empowers soldiers to tailor drone designs for aerodynamic performance, payload requirements, and ruggedness, all of which are critical for operating in harsh, contaminated environments. The Army reports these systems can be deployed within

Beyond performance, this approach introduces a new paradigm: decentralized drone production. At Fort Campbell, soldiers with the 101st Airborne Division are using desktop 3D printers and tactical design tools to fabricate their drones on-site, eliminating reliance on long and rigid supply chains. This field-level innovation is being further accelerated by the Army’s broader “3D printing sprint,” a research initiative aimed at scaling small drone production across units.

To meet the demanding needs of naval operations, additive manufacturing (AM) is being embedded directly into shipbuilding and maintenance workflows. At the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Keyport, engineers are leveraging polymer Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) and metal powder bed fusion technologies to rapidly produce custom components, obsolete spare parts, test fixtures, and training tools. These capabilities enable faster repairs and iterative development for complex undersea systems, including submarines and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).

Meanwhile, the Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE) is advancing large-scale metal AM with the recent deployment of a wire-based Directed Energy Deposition (DED) system. This system, ideal for fabricating high-strength, low-volume parts, deposits metal wire through a nozzle while simultaneously melting it with a laser or electron beam. The process is well-suited for manufacturing large-format naval components such as brackets, fittings, and valve bodies, significantly reducing field installation timelines from 2–3 weeks to just 2–3 days.

According to the 3D Printing Industry, “The U.S. Navy aims to overcome supply chain constraints with point-of-need production by procuring up to 1,600 AM components annually by 2030 and deploying up to 100 large-format wire-based DED metal 3D printing systems.”

Additive manufacturing is moving closer to the battlefield with deployable, ruggedized 3D printing systems designed for on-site repair of mission-critical components.

Firestorm Labs is leading this charge with the xCell, a containerized mobile manufacturing unit equipped with semi-automated Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) 3D printers. The XCell allows operators to produce end-use production parts and spare parts in harsh, off-grid environments.

The U.S. Army, in particular, has stressed the importance of equipping units with 3D printers alongside weapons to enable critical battlefield repairs when immediate support is not available. Field-deployable additive systems have already been used to print critical parts for drones, weapons, and combat vehicles, allowing troops to repair damaged equipment within hours instead of waiting days or weeks for replacement parts from centralized depots.

The Department of the Air Force is actively evaluating its use of flight-critical aircraft components. In early 2025, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center issued a Request for Information (FA8684QAMVAP), seeking white papers from vendors capable of qualifying 3D-printed components for airworthiness. This move signals a strategic shift toward integrating additive manufacturing not just for prototyping or non-critical parts, but for structural, load-bearing, and mission-essential components aboard military aircraft.

To meet the stringent demands of aerospace environments, vendors must demonstrate capabilities across several technical criteria including:

• Rigorous assessment of quality management systems (QMS)
• Material certification and process control
• Additive-aware design and non‑destructive inspection methods
• Full data traceability and cybersecurity compliance (e.g. with DoDI, FAA, ASTM, AS9100)
• Alignment with recognized airworthiness authorities and standards, including ISO 9001 and AS9100

Moreover, the Air Force is emphasizing the importance of digital thread continuity, capturing every stage of a part’s lifecycle from design to deployment. As the ecosystem around metal and high-performance polymer 3D printing matures, this effort reflects a broader defense strategy: to decentralize manufacturing, reduce supply chain risk, and increase fleet readiness through rapid, distributed part production. With successful qualification, additive manufacturing has the potential to transform how the military repairs, replaces, and upgrades vital aircraft components, directly supporting mission continuity in high-tempo or contested environments.

The Department of Defense’s FY 2026 budget request reaches $1.01 trillion, with a growing focus on additive manufacturing (AM). Among the key AM initiatives is DARPA’s AMEE (Additive Manufacturing of Microsystems), which aims to develop AM processes capable of printing both high-resolution conductors and insulators for advanced electronics.

Additionally, the Office of the Secretary of Defense is backing AM through its Additive Manufacturing Innovation project, part of the broader Manufacturing Innovation Institutes (MII) program. America Makes, the flagship institute for AM, is slated to receive $43.7 million to continue driving advancements in defense-grade 3D printing technologies.

As funding and focus increase, the integration of AM into military strategy is accelerating, expanding from point-of-need production and sustainment to the qualification of flight-critical components. These initiatives reflect a long-term vision: using AM not just for rapid prototyping, but for enabling a more agile, distributed, and resilient defense manufacturing ecosystem.

Endeavor 3D is proud to support this vision as an ITAR-registered contract additive manufacturing partner. Our end-to-end 3D printing services have proven to deliver high-quality parts for mission-critical defense applications. Contact Endeavor 3D today to learn how our advanced AM capabilities can accelerate your defense projects and secure your place in the future of military manufacturing.