Firestorm Labs 3D-prints 12 Squall drones aboard USS Essex using containerized microfactory

Published Aug 5, 11:14 PM UTC

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.