The following article appeared on 3D Printing Industry:
Applied Science & Technology Research Organization (ASTRO) America, a Maryland-based nonprofit, is spearheading an initiative to build a new 3D printing facility for the U.S. Navy.
Located on the Pacific Island of Guam, the complex is being built as part of the Guam Additive Materials and Manufacturing Accelerator (GAMMA) project.
GAMMA’s additive manufacturing center aims to slash repair times for naval vessels, especially submarines, by 3D printing replacement parts on-site in the Western Pacific.
Indeed, Guam’s remoteness, around 6,000 miles west of the U.S. mainland, can cause production delays of 6 months to 2 years for some components. GAMMA aims to shrink that to just 2 weeks, up to a 98% reduction, according to a report in National Defense Magazine. It also hopes to accelerate Guam’s tech industry and create up to 100 new jobs in the U.S. overseas territory.
GAMMA is expected to be operational by April 2026 and is forecast to cost a total of $40 million. The Navy provided initial funding of $5 million in 2024 and is expected to inject another $12 million in the coming months. Additional capital is being provided by Texas-based defense integrator BlueForge Alliance and the Navy’s Maritime Industrial Base Program Office.
Guam’s new $40 million 3D printing facility
Guam, in the Mariana Islands of the Pacific Ocean, holds strategic value for U.S. military operations given its proximity to Southeast Asia, China, and North Korea. It serves as a key staging area for U.S. Navy vessels in the region and hosts the forward-deployed USS Minnesota (SSN 783), a nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarine.
However, Guam’s remoteness can cause delays when shipping spare parts from the U.S., creating maintenance bottlenecks that can impede naval deployments. This could pose significant strategic challenges if tensions escalate into an all-out conflict in the Pacific theater.
U.S. maritime combat readiness is of particular concern, given that China’s shipbuilding capacity is reportedly 232 times greater than America’s. A leaked 2023 U.S. Navy briefing slide showed that Chinese shipyards possess 23.25 million-ton manufacturing capacity, far surpassing the 100,000-ton capacity of U.S. shipbuilders.
In an interview for National Defense Magazine, GAMMA Director Alex Benham said that submarine valves can take between six months and two years to replace with legacy manufacturing, compared to just two weeks with additive manufacturing. This speed helps keep naval vessels at sea for longer, significantly reducing dry dock losses.
ASTRO America’s new facility is projected to span 8,000 square feet, featuring a lab, classrooms, a conference room, and offices. According to an article published in Stars and Stripes, temporary classrooms and workspaces are expected to open by the end of the year.
The complex will house a variety of additive manufacturing technologies, including polymer 3D printers, directed energy deposition (DED) for large components, and laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) systems for intricate metal parts. This mix enables GAMMA to produce a wide range of replacement parts for ships and submarines operating out of Guam.
Beyond naval production, GAMMA is collaborating with local universities, government agencies, and supply chains. These efforts aim to expand Guam’s defense-sector talent pipeline and create new educational and job opportunities for Guamanians.
To help build a skilled local workforce, the project is establishing a satellite campus at a mainland U.S. university. This will partner with the University of Guam and Guam Community College to provide advanced manufacturing degrees and certifications.
U.S. Navy targets additive manufacturing
ASTRO America’s GAMMA project is one of several U.S. Navy 3D printing initiatives. High-power laser systems developer Synergy Additive Manufacturing was recently awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR).
This initiative aims to advance Extremely High-Speed Laser Cladding (EHLA) technology to increase the performance and lifespan of titanium cylinder bores used in helicopter components. It forms part of the Navy’s broader efforts to cut costs, reduce downtime, and extend the life of critical aerospace parts.
Synergy will develop materials optimized for high-deposition, precision cladding on titanium alloys. The goal is to produce rapid, defect-free coatings for bores that minimize distortion and material waste while enhancing the reliability of mission-critical components.
In other news, Australian metal 3D printer manufacturer AML3D received a letter of intent from the U.S. Navy outlining a collaboration to expand additive manufacturing across the Maritime Industrial Base. The document forecasts the procurement of 1,600 3D printed parts annually by 2030. It also includes plans to install up to 100 large-format metal 3D printers. Initial production efforts are expected to reach 400 parts in 2026.