US Navy 3D prints combat-ready drones and over 1,000 parts aboard aircraft carrier

During a two-week transit to RIMPAC 2026 in Hawaii, a containerized factory aboard the USS Essex 3D-printed a dozen flight-ready drones, as well as over 1,000 parts including vital spares for Apache helicopters.

According to 3D Printing Industry, this was the first maritime deployment of the xCell expeditionary manufacturing platform, developed by Firestorm Labs. Notably, production continued without interruption despite rough seas and waves reaching up to 12 feet during the journey.

A Milestone for Expeditionary Manufacturing

Firestorm described the achievement as a major milestone, stating that the xCell platform "just proved expeditionary manufacturing works in real conditions." The 3D printers on board produced a wide range of useful items on demand throughout the voyage.

The xCell containerized production line occupies just two expandable 20-foot ISO containers — or a single 40-foot equivalent — and houses industrial HP Multi Jet Fusion polymer printers alongside semi-automated assembly stations.

Key Outputs: Drones and Critical Spares

Squall FPV Drones

The most notable products manufactured at sea were twelve Squall FPV quadcopter drones, a key Firestorm Labs product. The NDAA-compliant Squall is designed for U.S. forces with the motto: "Print. Build. Fly. Dominate."

Key specifications of the Squall drone:

• Range: up to 20 miles
• Flight time: up to 42 minutes
• Top speed: 80 mph
• Payload capacity: 5.5 pounds

Upon the USS Essex's arrival at RIMPAC, these same drones were flown as adversary aircraft in a counter-UAS exercise.

Apache Helicopter and Other Spare Parts

Beyond drones, the crew printed essential spare parts during the transit, including:

• Apache helicopter rotor droop-stops, designed to prevent $500,000 rotor damage during at-sea operations
• A custom 3D-printed vacuum-hose coupling for life preserver testing

Crew-Requested Items

The 1,000+ 3D-printed parts and spares also included various crew-requested gadgets and gizmos, such as:

• Covers for electrical fittings
• A bracket for mounting Starlink
• Gauges for checking deck tie-downs

Operational Impact

Firestorm highlighted the logistical advantages of onboard manufacturing in a social media post:

"Every part xCell printed on deck is one that doesn't need to be flown or shipped across contested waters — cutting the fuel, aircraft hours, and personnel it takes to keep a ship operational. Repairs that once meant days or weeks waiting on a resupply run can now happen in hours, on station."