Alabama-based aerospace and defense manufacturer Cummings Aerospace’s 3D printed Hellhound S3 has completed its first flight at a US Army test range.
The S3 is a turbojet-powered loitering munition that can travel up to 384 mph and conduct long-range precision strikes against armored vehicles, tanks, and fortified positions. The Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) completed its successful test flight during the Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment (AEWE) 2025. This annual US Army exercise, held at Fort Moore, Georgia, on January 30, 2025, assessed emerging small-unit warfighting technologies.
During AEWE, the Hellhound S3 conducted one GPS-guided tactical mission using an inert warhead payload. According to Cummings Aerospace, the 3D printed fire-and-forget weapon achieved all primary mission objectives during the test flight. The demonstration revalidated the airframe and key subsystems at Technology Readiness Level 7 (TRL-7), proving the system’s reliability in a realistic, tactically relevant environment. Cummings’ engineers also gathered valuable insights and feedback from warfighting experts, enabling them to refine their one-way attack drone further.
This AEWE milestone builds on 12 Hellhound airframe tests conducted over the past two years. This includes flight trials at Pendleton Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Range in Oregon earlier this year. These tests saw the 3D printed precision strike drone validated for the US Army’s Low Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance (LASSO) program. Set to kick off later this year, LASSO comes as the Pentagon accelerates efforts to restock America’s munitions arsenal.
“Hellhound’s performance at AEWE 2025 highlighted a fundamental reality — speed matters, and quadcopters and prop-driven drones take too long to get downrange,” commented Cummings Aerospace CEO Sheila Cummings. “While quadcopters and propeller-driven drones will still be puttering along behind friendly lines, Hellhound will already be over the target area, giving IBCTs the ability to strike faster, reach deeper into the battlespace, and decisively engage fleeting, time-sensitive targets.”
3D printed loitering munition boosts US Army warfighting
Hellhound S3 is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed to provide the US Army’s Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs) with Armored Brigade-level combat power. Built to meet LASSO requirements, it enables infantry operators to strike targets beyond line of sight while minimizing collateral damage.
Weighing under 25 pounds, including the vehicle, launch canister, and ground control system, the S3 is lightweight enough for a single infantry soldier to deploy, enhancing small-unit mobility and combat effectiveness.
Cummings Aerospace designed this loitering munition with a modular architecture. It can deliver conventional warheads, electronic warfare systems, or intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) payloads. According to the Huntsville-based manufacturer, soldiers can swap payloads in under five minutes without tools.
Cummings Aerospace manufactures the turbojet-powered Hellhound S3 using 3D printing and US Department of Defense (DoD)-approved commercial components. This combination reportedly streamlines logistics and provides advanced warfighting capabilities at a lower cost than competing systems.
In the coming months, the US defense manufacturer will conduct additional Hellbound S3 flight tests to bring the entire weapons system to TRL-7. It will also submit a formal proposal offering their loitering munition to the US LASSO program. Concurrently, Cummings is set to conduct additional demonstrations and tests for other defense customers outside the DoD.
Additive Manufacturing for US defense
The DoD is increasingly embracing additive manufacturing to help address growing domestic demand for airborne munitions. Last year, the Pentagon increased its annual budget request for missiles, munitions procurement, and related research and development from $9 billion in 2015 to $30.6 billion.
3D printed attack drone manufacturer Firestorm Labs was awarded a five-year, $100 million US Air Force (USAF) contract to enhance 3D printed UAS designs with advanced autonomy. Through the contract, the USAF can issue multiple task and delivery orders over five years, with performance periods extending up to 24 months after the final order.
San Diego-based Firestorm employs its 3D printing-based XCell manufacturing unit to fabricate critical defense components near the front lines where conventional supply chains may be disrupted. Available as two 2-foot containers or a single 40-foot container, the XCell is optimized for on-demand production of UAS and spare parts. Dan Magy, Firestorm Labs CEO and Co-Founder, believes the new DoD contract validates the company’s work in modular UAS development. “This award reflects the Air Force’s confidence in our ability to deliver adaptable, cost-effective UAS solutions that redefine operational possibilities,” Magy said.
Elsewhere, US-based space technology 3D printing firm X-Bow Launch Systems recently added $9.85 million to its existing DoD contract to develop 3D printed solid rocket motors (SRM). The new funding brings the total contract value to $28.67 million, supporting continued development of next-generation propulsion systems for US-made missiles.
Another company that produces 3D printed missile SRMs for the DoD is Colorado-based rocket engine manufacturer Ursa Major. Last year, the company received $12.5 million from the US Navy and the Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) to scale SRM production using its Lynx 3D printing technology. This followed news earlier in 2024 that the company is 3D printing the Navy’s Mk 104 dual rocket motor, which powers the SM-2, SM-3, and SM-6 missiles.
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Featured image shows the Hellhound turbo-jet-powered loitering munition. Image via Cummings Aerospace
