Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. --
In the face of renewed great power competition, the U.S. Marine Corps is adapting to an evolving battlespace where adversaries aim to disrupt our supply chains and challenge American military capabilities across all domains—land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace—and in every theater of operations, from the Indo-Pacific to Europe to the Arctic. To counter these evolving threats, Marine Corps Systems Command’s Program Manager for Combat Support Systems (PM CSS) is fielding additive manufacturing capabilities (AM), or 3D printing, as a critical tool for maintaining flexibility and resilience in contested environments.
Additive manufacturing enables Marines to rapidly produce essential parts and equipment directly in the field, bypassing traditional, often vulnerable, supply chains. This capability is especially valuable during Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO), where forces operate across large, dispersed areas and need to remain self-sufficient. By utilizing portable systems like the Expeditionary Fabrication (XFAB) unit, Marines can produce parts ranging from unmanned aerial system components to vehicle repair parts, ensuring they can adapt to challenges in real time.
As part of the Marine Corps' broader Force Design modernization blueprint, which emphasizes innovation and adaptability in preparing for future conflicts, additive manufacturing is being fielded as a critical tool for maintaining flexibility and resilience in contested environments.
The benefits of this technology have already been demonstrated in recent military exercises. During RIMPAC 2024, onboard the USS Somerset, a hybrid-metal 3D printer produced a crucial component for the ship’s reverse osmosis system, maintaining the ship’s ability to produce fresh water after a key part failed. This example underscores how AM can be used to meet urgent repair needs, directly supporting operational readiness at sea.
The USMC is on the cusp of fielding metal 3D printing capabilities to add additional Advanced Manufacturing capabilities to the Fleet Marine Force. These capabilities will further enhance the ability to make stronger repair parts at the point of need in an austere environment. As future conflicts increasingly target logistics and supply chains, the Marine Corps' investment in 3D printing technologies ensures that it can remain flexible and self-sufficient in the face of these challenges.