Military 3D Printing
Surge Fulcrum: From Crafting the Exquisite To Forging Swarms at the Edge
If you are due to meet a member of the US government to pitch some 3D printing scheme or other idea, you’d do well to bring a copy of Freedom…
3DPrint.com & AM Research Present: UAS Additive Strategies, Sponsored by EOS
When your work involves a technological field, like additive manufacturing (AM), which still flies under the radar for most people, it can often feel like what you do every day…
Colibrium Additive Gets $31 Million NAVAIR Contract
Colibrium Additive has been awarded a $31 million contract by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). The contract is part of the Additive Manufacturing Capability initiative, focused on qualification and…
Death Spiral (or The End of the Fairchild Republic)
Previously, I wrote about the disruption of US military power. Since then, events have required a reassessment. The US is clearly in decline, and a death spiral is occurring that…
Digital SEA: Austal USA Launches Secure 3D Printing Platform Hosted by US Navy
So far in 2026, the most significant shift in the additive manufacturing (AM) industry is also the subtlest: after years in which various enterprises, organizations, and government agencies have trended…
Former Spy/Congressman to Head New Federal Division at Construction 3D Printing Powerhouse ICON
Earlier this year, the Department of Defense (DOD) broke ground on its biggest additive construction (AC) project to date, aiming to complete ten new barracks at Texas’s Fort Bliss US…
Nikon AM Synergy Secures DLA Contract for On-Demand Military Parts
Nikon AM Synergy has gotten a DLA contract under the JAMA IV IDIQ Pilot Parts Program. The contract with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is a step forward for Nikon…
Beehive Gets $29.7 Million Contract
The US military is pivoting from a world where it fields a few exquisite craft to one where it can manufacture swarms of vehicles. Additive manufacturing at scale, along with…
3D Printing News Briefs, April 11, 2026: Energy Targets, DoW Contracts, Nike Air Max, & More
We’re starting with 3D printing for energy applications in this weekend’s 3D Printing News Briefs, and then moving on to military and defense 3D printing. Finally, Nike Sportswear is focusing…
HADDY’s Large-Format Robotic 3D Printing to Power Red Cat’s Drone Boat Production
In May 2025, Joris Peels, as is his custom, wrote a prescient article about Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) and Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs), i.e., drone boats. Listing a multifaceted range…
Resetting the Role of AM in Defense, and the Role of Defense in the Economy
The Trump administration recently revealed that it is requesting a $1.5 trillion defense budget for FY2027, confirming Trump’s initial announcement of that topline number at the beginning of 2026. So…
6K Wins $1.95M DLA Award to Recycle Defense Metals
6K will receive $1.95 million from the Defense Logistics Agency under the Recovering Strategic Value project. The Phase II award aims to reduce the US’ dependence on Nickel, Titanium, Tungsten,…
3D Printing News Briefs, April 2, 2026: Reseller, Submarine Parts, & More
We’re starting off today’s 3D Printing News Briefs with business from Materialise and RapidFit, and Axtra3D and MULTISTATION. Then we’ll move on to a contract for submarine components, and end…
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Installs 3D Printed Part on In-Service Submarine in Key Milestone for US Defense Sector
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…
U.S. Army Begins Construction of 10 3D Printed Barracks at Fort Bliss
The U.S. Army has begun construction of 10 3D printed barracks at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, in what is being described as the Department of Defense’s largest 3D…
When Castings Take 18 Months: How 3D Printing Helped Fix the Soo Locks
This article is Part II of a two-part series on Lincoln Electric’s large-format metal additive manufacturing operations. In Part I, we looked at how Lincoln Electric built one of the…
Ursa Major, AFRL Show AM’s Role in Future Deterrence Through Draper Test Flight
The war in Iran is only about two weeks old, but countless lessons — and warnings — have already emerged for militaries across the planet and the economy in general….
Shocking! America Makes Wants to Give You Money Again
With two new project calls, America Makes would like to give you $35 million. Powered by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Manufacturing Technology Office (OSD ManTech). OSD…
Rocket Lab & Aussie Startup Hypersonix Team Up for DIU-Backed, 3D Printed Hypersonic Testbed Trial
Additive Manufacturing (AM) Research just published its latest study, “AM Applications Analysis: Parts Produced 2025-2034,” which AM Research SVP Scott Dunham said includes by far the consultancy’s largest data package…
U.S. Marines Save Hundreds of Thousands with 3D Printed Antenna Mast
Recently, I wrote about an article by Col. Michael Mai, Chief of the US Army Working Capital Fund, in which he argued that the Army is “mispricing readiness” and that…
AML3D Reports Record A$16.5M in Orders as U.S. Defense Work Expands
Australian metal additive manufacturing firm AML3D (ASX: AL3) has reported approximately A$16.5 million ($11.7 million) in orders in hand in its half-year results for the period ending December 31, 2025,…
SPEE3D Continues to Dominate in Metal AM Innovation with Tennessee Army National Guard
The US Army’s additive manufacturing (AM) capabilities have taken some time to catch up to those of the Air Force and Navy, but the catch-up phase now seems to be…
Waiting Has a Cost: the True Value of Additive Manufacturing
One of my favorite expressions is “Hurry up and wait,” because it perfectly captures one of my least favorite scenarios to have to live through. You rush to get ready…
3D Printing News Briefs: February 19, 2026: Market Data, Africa, Metal Parts for Defense, & More
We’re starting with some business news for you in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs! The Wohlers Report 2026 is now available, Carbon announced its new Chief Technology Officer, and Farsoon…
