Evaluation of U.S. Navy Finances Reveals Elevated Dedication to Additive Manufacturing

The U.S. Division of Protection’s $1 trillion FY 2026 funds request allocates $3.3 billion to initiatives involving additive manufacturing, an 83% enhance from the $1.8 billion accepted in FY 2025.

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Additive manufacturing performs a central function within the Pentagon’s FY 2026 agenda, because the U.S. navy seeks to increase weapons stockpiles, speed up procurement, and localize provide chains. The funds request, submitted to Congress in Could, contains 16 distinct initiatives and applications involving 3D printing.

Information from the official Analysis, Improvement, Check, and Analysis (RDT&E) Packages (R-1) submitting and Protection-Broad RDT&E Justification Paperwork point out a mixed funding request of $3,298,840,000 ($3.3 billion) throughout these efforts.

This determine contains all line gadgets that reference “additive manufacturing” or “3D printing” of their FY 2026 plans. The place additive manufacturing seems as a element of a bigger program, funding estimates mirror the particular sub-projects tied to AM, the place potential. 

FY 2026 applications that embody Additive Manufacturing
(USD$ in Tens of millions)

The overall funds request for initiatives solely targeted on additive manufacturing improvement (DARPA Additive Manufacturing of MicrosystEms (AMEE) and OSD Additive Manufacturing Innovation) is $58.4 million, down 5.7% Y/Y from $61.9 million in FY 2025.  

Alexander Steeb, Senior Operations Director at America Makes, described the $3.3 billion determine as a transparent sign that the U.S. armed forces are “doubling down on additive” and are beneath orders to combine the know-how.

In a current memo to senior Pentagon management, Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth instructed the U.S. Military to “prolong superior manufacturing, together with 3D printing and additive manufacturing, to operational models by 2026.”

3D printing initiatives within the DoD’s FY 2026 funds

The DoD’s proposed $848.3 billion base funds for 2026 was delayed by roughly 4.5 months and falls slightly below the $849.8 billion looked for FY 2025.

Nonetheless, the Trump administration additionally instigated a $150 billion nationwide safety reconciliation invoice. This shaped a part of the “One Huge Stunning Invoice Act,” which was handed by Congress on July 4, 2025. Of that quantity, the DoD is anticipated to obtain $113.3 billion in FY 2026, bringing its protection request to $961.6 billion.

When mixed with $50.3 billion in discretionary and reconciliation funds for “Different Protection” applications (non-DoD), the entire nationwide protection funds request reaches $1.01 trillion, based on the DoD’s FY 2026 Finances Briefing doc.

General, the DoD is in search of $142.0 billion for RDT&E, which funds the creation and enchancment of navy applied sciences. This determine might develop to $179.1 billion with the addition of $37.1 billion through the congressional funds reconciliation laws. This can be a 26.7% enhance Y/Y from the $141.4 billion approved in FY 2025. 

Two initiatives within the DoD’s FY 2026 funds request focus explicitly on additive manufacturing. The primary is Protection Superior Analysis Tasks Company (DARPA)’s Additive Manufacturing of Microsystems (AMEE) initiative. This seeks to create an AM course of able to concurrently 3D printing high-resolution conductors and insulators. 

The DoD has requested $14.6 million for AMEE in FY 2026, a 5.4% decline from $20 million in FY 2025. Targets for 2026 embody finalizing the additive manufacturing synthesis method and delivering a finalized commercialization plan.  

The second additive manufacturing-focused DoD initiative is the Workplace of the Secretary of Protection (OSD)’s Additive Manufacturing Innovation venture. It types a part of the broader Manufacturing Innovation Institutes (MII) program, which backs 9 DoD-led institutes throughout superior manufacturing sectors.

America Makes is spearheading the Pentagon’s additive manufacturing innovation efforts beneath the OSD. The institute is ready to obtain $43.7 million within the FY 2026 funds request, a 4.4% enhance from the $41.9 million allotted in 2025. 

Alexander Steeb informed 3D Printing Trade that this request “displays continued help for America Makes by means of the Division of Protection’s Additive Manufacturing Innovation program.” 

He added that the brand new funding will strengthen the Institute’s “efforts to transition additive manufacturing into protection purposes, scale production-relevant applied sciences, and construct a resilient industrial base.”

Steeb expects directed funding for America Makes to surpass the preliminary $43.7 million allocation. The additional capital, at the moment unfold throughout varied service budgets, could possibly be reallocated to America Makes as priorities evolve.

$3.3 billion for initiatives that includes additive manufacturing

Of the $3.3 billion requested for initiatives incorporating additive manufacturing in FY 2026, $2.3 billion is earmarked for the OSD’s Industrial Base Evaluation and Sustainment (IBAS) program. Greater than double the $1.0 billion designated for IBAS within the FY 2025 funds.  

IBAS seeks to strengthen and help the businesses and staff that make crucial navy gear, guaranteeing the U.S. protection industrial base (DIB) can meet present and future calls for. Its FY 2026 plans embody superior coaching in welding, machining, non-destructive testing, fiber optics, and additive manufacturing. This system additionally focuses on figuring out new expertise pipelines and increasing the protection workforce. 

After excluding IBAS funding, the entire FY 2026 funds request for initiatives involving additive manufacturing stands at $970.5 million, a 23.1% enhance from $788.7 million in FY 2025. 

Throughout the Protection Logistics Company (DLA), $50.6 million has been requested for the Manufacturing Know-how Program (ManTech) within the FY 2026 funds. This represents a 49.6% lower Y/Y from $100.4 million granted in FY 2025.  

ManTech focuses on growing superior manufacturing applied sciences to help the DoD’s logistics and provide wants. It covers two essential Traces of Effort (LOEs): Industrial Base and Getting older Weapon System Assist (IBA), and 3D Technical Information Modernization / Mannequin-Based mostly Enterprise (TDM). 

The IBA program was allotted $41.5 million within the FY 2026 funds request. It contains two key additive manufacturing initiatives: Joint Additive Manufacturing Acceptability (JAMA) and Joint Additive Manufacturing Mannequin Trade (JAMMEX). JAMA, now in phases I–IV, goals to ascertain requirements for qualifying 3D printed components. In the meantime, JAMMEX is increasing a central repository of licensed 3D fashions to be used throughout a number of branches of the Division of Protection.

Elsewhere, DARPA’s Enabling Manufacturing Research and Ideas initiative is pushing the frontier of field-ready manufacturing. This system backs applied sciences that allow troops to supply supplies, components, and methods on demand, on the level of want. Its focus spans additive manufacturing, superior ceramics, energetic supplies, and self-healing polymers. In 2026, it goals to mannequin and predict the efficiency of 3D printed parts primarily based on their microstructure and flaws. The FY 2026 funds request is $24.4 million, up 67.8% from $14.6 million in FY 2025. 

The Missile Protection Company’s (MDA) Superior Analysis Program is leveraging 3D printing, synthetic intelligence, and machine studying to allow the continuous, speedy, delivery-driven improvement of U.S. missile methods. $42.1 million has been earmarked for MDA’s Superior Analysis in FY 2026, down 10.2% from $46.9 million in FY 2025. 

The MDA can be working the Manufacturing and Producibility Program, which is growing manufacturing applied sciences to scale back manufacturing prices and lead instances. This contains 3D printing superior supplies resembling high-temperature metals and ceramic matrix composites. This system’s FY 2026 funds request is $1.8 million, a 43.9% drop from $3.2 million within the earlier 12 months.   

Additive manufacturing can be making inroads into the Pentagon’s Chemical and Organic Protection Program. Underneath the All-Hazards and Respiratory Safety venture, the Division is 3D printing custom-fit respiratory masks. The initiative has secured $1.5 million within the fiscal 2026 funds request, greater than double the $700,000 allotted in 2025.

Throughout the Protection Risk Discount Company (DTRA), two initiatives are harnessing 3D printing to counter weapons of mass destruction. One focuses on enhancing weapons efficiency by means of additive manufacturing, whereas the opposite prototypes field-based methods that combine CBRN detection with pattern processing. Collectively, they’ve been granted $260.9 million within the DoD’s FY 2026 request, down 6.7% from a mixed complete of $279.5 million in FY 2025.   

Lastly, the OSD’s Justification Guide options eight initiatives that point out additive manufacturing. This contains FY 2026 funding for MIT Lincoln Laboratory ($3.5 million), International Comparative Testing ($28.0 million), LIFT – the Superior Supplies Manufacturing Innovation Institute ($10.512 million), Protection Innovation Acceleration ($211.0 million), Nuclear Survivability Analysis & Improvement ($3.0 million), and the OSD’s Speedy Prototyping Program ($274.9 million). 

The overall fiscal 2026 funds request for OSD initiatives involving additive manufacturing, together with IBAS and Additive Manufacturing Innovation, involves $1.34 billion, a 5.1% enhance from $1.27 billion in 2025.   

Worldwide Momentum: UK Protection Technique Embraces 3D Printing

Amid rising geopolitical tensions and mounting provide chain dangers, nationwide defence companies are stepping up funding in additive manufacturing. Earlier this 12 months, the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) revealed its Defence Superior Manufacturing Technique. This recognized 3D printing as an important a part of the British navy’s future technique roadmap. 

The doc highlighted additive manufacturing as a significant instrument in strengthening provide chain resilience, chopping lead instances, and rising entry to out of date components. As such, the technique requires accelerated adoption of 3D printing throughout the UK protection sector. To attain this, it recommends rising funding to incentivize trade, adapting insurance policies to take away adoption obstacles, and integrating AM into the protection provide chain.    

In keeping with Britain’s protection management, additive manufacturing can considerably enhance platform and gear availability. A Defence Innovation Unit (DIU)-commissioned report revealed that 3D printing 15% of the protection stock might save £110M over the following 15 years. The annual web profit might attain £35.5 million after that.  

In more moderen information, the MOD launched a brand new group to speed up and centralize navy innovation efforts. The United Kingdom Defence Innovation (UKDI) physique will handle an annual funds of a minimum of £400 million. This capital shall be used to fund the event and deployment of superior applied sciences. The UKDI’s creation types a part of the UK Authorities’s Plan for Change and seeks to strengthen nationwide safety whereas boosting financial progress.    

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Featured picture reveals the Pentagon. Photograph through the USA Division of Protection.