In 2025, the U.S. Navy advanced 3D printing from testing to real deployment on combat vessels.
In 2025, the U.S. Navy achieved a strategic leap in 3D printing (additive manufacturing), transitioning from experimentation to real-world deployment. Through collaboration with industry and academic institutions, the Navy successfully integrated 3D-printed components into frontline fleets, marking the technology's maturity and operational combat effectiveness.
Within the year, several critical components were successfully applied to various main classes of vessels, for example:
3D-printed stainless-steel handwheels for submarine fuel oil valves and copper-nickel deck drain assemblies.
Manufactured cooling rotors for destroyers and valve manifold assemblies for aircraft carriers.
Printed bow thruster bracket assemblies for patrol cutters.
To accelerate adoption, the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) vigorously removed obstacles: it streamlined new material qualification processes by over 60%, significantly reducing costs; issued multiple new standards and specifications; and officially launched the Navy Resources for Additive Manufacturing (N-RAM) center to centrally manage technical data, shortening the path from design to production.
The core value of this shift lies in enhancing fleet readiness and sustainment capability. 3D-printed parts are now formally included in supply chain inventories and maintenance plans, reducing dependence on lengthy traditional supply chains and enabling faster, more forward-deployed equipment support. Industrial partners, such as Hunt Valve Company, are also actively developing more certified components to expand the available parts library.
Evolving from an "emerging capability" in the lab to a confirmed "readiness enabler," additive manufacturing is now deeply integrated into naval planning and operational sustainment systems. Against the backdrop of an increasingly complex global landscape, this represents not merely a technological upgrade but a key strategic pillar for maintaining fleet lethality and resilience. Multiple supportive policies and record-breaking budgets from the U.S. Department of Defense in 2025 further indicate that this transformation is accelerating across the entire military.
