In 2025, the U.S. Navy transformed additive manufacturing (AM), from an experimental technology into a fully operational asset. By cutting production times by roughly 70% and strengthening industrial ties with AUKUS allies, the Navy established a flexible, distributed manufacturing network capable of supporting fleet readiness in real time. These gains were enabled by tighter qualification standards, streamlined material specifications, and closer coordination across NAVSEA, the Maritime Industrial Base, and private industry.
Operational Innovations on Ships and Submarines
The year saw AM parts deployed on some of the Navy’s most advanced vessels. US military shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries installed a 1.5-meter, 450 kg metal valve manifold on a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, marking a milestone for surface combatants. Shortly afterward, Virginia-class submarines received metal 3D printed components that met rigorous deep-sea standards.
AM also delivered immediate logistical benefits. Marotta reduced the production time of a critical destroyer valve from 29 weeks to just 8–9 weeks using metal 3D printing, bypassing traditional bottlenecks. Polymer parts produced by the Southeast Regional Maintenance Center (SERMC) saved more than $300,000 while shortening ship downtime.
Cross-service collaboration also expanded: the Navy and Coast Guard used a polymer 3D printer aboard a submarine to restore essential equipment, demonstrating AM’s ability to bridge logistical gaps. To sustain these improvements, AM is now fully integrated into fleet planning, maintenance, and supply-chain operations.
Alliances, Standards, and Future Expansion
Streamlined standards and partnerships have been critical to these successes. NAVSEA, academia, and industry reduced testing requirements by over 60% and cut millions in qualification costs. Three formal material standards (MIL-PRF-32802, MIL-PRF-32803, MIL-PRF-32804) now guide Navy additive manufacturing, ensuring rapid certification of new components.
Looking ahead, the Navy continues to expand its AM capabilities through partnerships with companies like Hunt Valve, developing and certifying additional components to increase fleet readiness.
“The progress made in 2025 reflects a broader shift across the naval enterprise: Additive manufacturing is no longer viewed as an emerging experiment, but as a readiness enabler fully integrated into planning, maintenance, and sustainment. As the Navy continues to modernize the maritime industrial base, 3D printing stands as a pillar of its strategy to sustain a lethal, resilient fleet in an increasingly complex operational environment,” stated the Navy.
Industry and Navy in Action
Through standardized qualifications, operational adoption, and targeted industry partnerships, the Navy has turned additive manufacturing from a pilot experiment into a readiness enabler that strengthens fleet resilience.
The 2025 AMUG Conference further validated the Navy’s additive manufacturing trajectory. Experts highlighted AM’s operational value in rapid shipboard repairs, forward-deployed maintenance, and resilient supply chains, emphasizing the need for formal program integration and allied interoperability.
Industry is actively responding to these requirements. Velo3D and Linde AMT produce corrosion-resistant CuNi 70-30 components on dedicated printers under ITAR compliance, maintaining continuous output for shipbuilding and modernization programs. Meanwhile, Nikon SLM Solutions’ NXG 600E platform, set for deployment in Virginia, represents a capacity lock-in that directly addresses production bottlenecks and strengthens fleet readiness.
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Featured image shows US navy ships. Photo via US Navy.
