U.S. Navy 3D-prints drones aboard USS Essex during RIMPAC transit
Firestorm Labs successfully 3D-printed 12 Squall drones and over 1,000 parts aboard the USS Essex using its containerized xCell microfactory while transiting to RIMPAC 2026 in Hawaii. The operation, conducted in rough seas, demonstrated at-sea production without shore resupply. The drones were later used as adversary aircraft in a counter-drone exercise. This supports the Navy’s containerized capability campaign plan and the Pentagon’s Low-Cost Containerized Munitions program.
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Firestorm Labs Demos Expeditionary 3D Printing Aboard USS Essex in Rough Seas
Firestorm Labs successfully demonstrated expeditionary manufacturing aboard the USS Essex amphibious assault ship during heavy seas en route to the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise. The company used HP's multi-jet fusion 3D printing technology inside its xCell unit—two 20-foot containers—to print thousands of unique parts, including rotor stops for Apache helicopters and a dozen Squall first-person-view drones. The drones were later used as adversary aircraft in a counter-drone exercise at RIMPAC. CEO Dan Magy emphasized the system's resilience in Sea State 5 conditions and positioned the capability as a contested logistics solution for maintaining legacy systems and producing attritable drones near the point of need. The demonstration highlights growing military interest in forward-deployed additive manufacturing to address supply chain vulnerabilities in contested environments.
Firestorm Labs 3D-Prints Thousands of Parts Aboard USS Essex in Rough Seas
Firestorm Labs successfully demonstrated expeditionary manufacturing aboard the USS Essex during heavy seas (Sea State 5) en route to the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise. The company used its xCell additive manufacturing unit—two 20-foot containers—to 3D-print thousands of unique parts, including a dozen Squall first-person-view drones used as adversary aircraft in a counter-drone exercise. CEO Dan Magy highlighted the resilience of HP's multi-jet fusion technology in rough conditions and positioned the capability as a contested logistics solution for all military branches. The demonstration addressed sustainment challenges for legacy systems and attritable drones, with applications ranging from rotor protection to prosthetics and humanitarian aid.
Rough waters help firm demo ‘expeditionary manufacturing’ aboard warship
Firestorm Labs successfully 3D-printed thousands of unique parts aboard the USS Essex during heavy seas (Sea State 5) en route to the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise. The company's xCell additive manufacturing unit, composed of two 20-foot containers using HP's multi-jet fusion technology, proved resilient in what was described as the roughest water off the California coast in five years. Printed items included stops for Apache helicopter rotors and a dozen Squall first-person-view drones, later used as adversary aircraft in a counter-drone exercise at RIMPAC. CEO Dan Magy framed the capability as a contested logistics solution scalable across all military branches, addressing supply chain vulnerabilities highlighted by conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, and the risk of blockades in critical regions like the South China Sea.
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Firestorm Labs 3D-prints drones aboard USS Essex using containerized microfactory
Firestorm Labs successfully 3D-printed 12 first-person view Squall drones and over 1,000 parts aboard the USS Essex, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, while it transited toward RIMPAC 2026 in Hawaii. The drones were assembled in rough seas with 12-foot waves and later flown as adversary aircraft during a counter-drone exercise at RIMPAC. The containerized microfactory, called xCell, enabled on-deck production without shore resupply, reducing logistics needs. This demonstration supports the U.S. Navy's containerized capability campaign plan announced by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle, which aims to deploy transportable containers housing defense capabilities globally. The Pentagon also recently announced framework agreements for the Low-Cost Containerized Munitions program to acquire over 10,000 containerized missiles starting in 2027.
Firestorm Labs 3D-Prints Drones Aboard USS Essex Using Containerized Microfactory
Defense technology company Firestorm Labs successfully 3D-printed 12 first-person view Squall drones and over 1,000 parts aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex during its transit to RIMPAC 2026 in Hawaii. The production was carried out using the company's containerized microfactory called xCell, which can be deployed on Navy vessels to manufacture unmanned aerial systems and spare parts without shore resupply. Despite 12-foot waves, service members assembled the drones, which were later used as adversary aircraft in a counter-drone exercise at RIMPAC. The demonstration supports the Navy's 'containerized capability campaign plan' announced by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle, aiming to deploy transportable containers housing defense capabilities globally. The Pentagon also recently signed framework agreements for over 10,000 containerized missiles under the Low-Cost Containerized Munitions program.
Firestorm Labs 3D-prints drones aboard USS Essex without shore resupply
Firestorm Labs successfully 3D-printed 12 Squall first-person view drones and over 1,000 parts aboard the USS Essex using its containerized xCell microfactory during the ship's transit to RIMPAC 2026 in Hawaii. The operation, conducted in rough seas with 12-foot waves, demonstrated the ability to produce unmanned aerial systems and repair parts at sea without relying on shore-based supply chains. Service members assembled the drones, which were later used as adversary aircraft in a counter-drone exercise at RIMPAC. The effort supports the Navy's 'containerized capability campaign plan' announced by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle, which envisions deployable containers housing drones and weapons. The Pentagon has also launched the Low-Cost Containerized Munitions program, signing framework agreements with defense firms for over 10,000 containerized missiles starting in 2027.
Firestorm Labs 3D-prints drones aboard USS Essex using containerized microfactory
Firestorm Labs successfully 3D-printed 12 Squall first-person view drones and over 1,000 parts aboard the USS Essex, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, while it transited toward RIMPAC 2026 in Hawaii. The drones were assembled in rough seas with 12-foot waves and later flown as adversary aircraft during a counter-drone exercise. The company's xCell containerized microfactory enabled on-deck production, eliminating the need for shore resupply and reducing logistics burdens. The effort supports the Navy's containerized capability campaign plan announced by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle, which aims to deploy transportable containers housing drones and weapons globally. The Pentagon also recently announced framework agreements for containerized missiles under the Low-Cost Containerized Munitions program.
Firestorm Labs builds drones aboard USS Essex without shore resupply
Firestorm Labs successfully 3D-printed 12 Squall first-person view drones and over 1,000 parts aboard the USS Essex using its containerized xCell microfactory during the ship's transit to RIMPAC 2026 in Hawaii. The operation, conducted in rough seas with 12-foot waves, demonstrated the ability to produce unmanned aerial systems and repair parts at sea without relying on shore resupply. The drones were later flown as adversary aircraft in a counter-drone exercise at RIMPAC. This effort aligns with the Navy's containerized capability campaign plan announced by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle, which aims to deploy transportable containers housing defense capabilities globally. The Pentagon also recently signed framework agreements for containerized missiles under the Low-Cost Containerized Munitions program.
Firestorm Labs builds drones aboard USS Essex without shore resupply
Firestorm Labs, a defense technology company, successfully 3D-printed 12 Squall first-person view drones and over 1,000 parts aboard the USS Essex using its containerized microfactory, the xCell. The operation occurred as the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship transited toward RIMPAC 2026 in Hawaii, facing 12-foot waves. Service members assembled the drones, which were later flown as adversary aircraft during a counter-drone exercise at RIMPAC. The xCell also produced mechanical test components and military repair parts, demonstrating the ability to manufacture drones and spare parts at sea without shore resupply. This aligns with the Navy's containerized capability campaign plan announced by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle, and the Pentagon's Low-Cost Containerized Munitions program, which aims to deploy containerized drones and weapons globally.
Firestorm Labs 3D-prints drones aboard USS Essex during RIMPAC transit
Firestorm Labs successfully manufactured 12 Squall first-person view drones and over 1,000 parts aboard the USS Essex using its containerized xCell microfactory while the ship transited toward RIMPAC 2026 in Hawaii. The 3D-printed drones were later flown as adversary aircraft during a counter-drone exercise at RIMPAC. The demonstration highlights the Navy's push for containerized, modular capabilities that reduce reliance on shore resupply. Service members also printed mechanical test components and military repair parts during the voyage, which faced 12-foot waves. The effort aligns with the Navy's 'containerized capability campaign plan' announced by CNO Adm. Daryl Caudle and the Pentagon's Low-Cost Containerized Munitions program, which aims to acquire over 10,000 containerized missiles starting in 2027.
Firestorm Labs 3D-prints drones aboard USS Essex using containerized microfactory
Firestorm Labs, a defense technology company, successfully 3D-printed 12 Squall first-person view drones and over 1,000 parts aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex using its containerized microfactory, xCell. The operation occurred as the ship transited toward RIMPAC 2026 in Hawaii, with service members assembling the drones in rough seas. The drones were later flown as adversary aircraft during a counter-drone exercise at RIMPAC. The effort supports the Navy's containerized capability campaign plan, which aims to deploy transportable containers housing defense capabilities like drones and weapons globally. The Pentagon also recently announced framework agreements for containerized missiles under the Low-Cost Containerized Munitions program.
Firestorm Labs 3D-prints drones aboard USS Essex without shore resupply
Defense technology company Firestorm Labs successfully 3D-printed 12 Squall first-person view drones and over 1,000 parts aboard the USS Essex using a containerized microfactory called xCell. The operation occurred during the ship's transit to RIMPAC 2026 in Hawaii, demonstrating the ability to produce unmanned aerial systems and spare parts at sea without relying on shore resupply. Despite 12-foot waves, service members assembled the drones, which were later flown as adversary aircraft in a counter-drone exercise. The effort supports the Navy's containerized capability campaign plan announced by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle, aiming to deploy transportable containers housing defense capabilities globally. The Pentagon also recently launched the Low-Cost Containerized Munitions program, signing framework agreements with defense firms for over 10,000 containerized missiles starting in 2027.