AML3D Secures $9.9M Navy Contract — 4 ARCEMY X Systems for Newport News Shipbuilding

Australian metal additive manufacturing company AML3D has secured a major contract with U.S. defense contractor HII, worth approximately AU$9.9 million. The order calls for four ARCEMY X large-scale metal 3D printing systems to be deployed at Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of HII and the largest military shipbuilder in the United States.

The systems will support shipbuilding and maintenance operations for U.S. Navy programs. This order brings the total number of ARCEMY X systems installed at Newport News Shipbuilding to six.

Wire Additive Manufacturing for Naval Applications

The ARCEMY X systems are based on AML3D's proprietary Wire Additive Manufacturing (WAM) process, which uses welding-based deposition to produce large metal components. The machines ordered are custom variants of the ARCEMY X 6700 platform, configured with an approximately 11,000 kg positioner to enable high-capacity builds.

According to AML3D, the WAM-based systems can produce metal components more efficiently than traditional casting and machining processes, while reducing material waste and lead times. At Newport News Shipbuilding, the systems will be used for fabrication and replacement of ship components.

All four systems are expected to be installed and operational by the third quarter of FY2027.

Growing Defense Adoption

The expansion reflects growing adoption of welding-based additive manufacturing for large metal components in defense supply chains. Naval programs have increasingly explored AM to reduce production times and improve parts availability — a critical constraint in military supply chains.

AML3D CEO Sean Ebert said the order reflects increasing demand for large-scale additive manufacturing in the U.S. defense sector and supports the company's expansion strategy in the region. The systems will be supplied from AML3D's U.S. Technology Centre in Ohio.

Compared to powder-based systems, wire-fed deposition processes offer higher deposition rates and are suited to producing large components with lower material cost and reduced lead times — particularly valuable for naval shipbuilding where component sizes and lead times are major challenges.