AML3D Lands First Production Order for US Navy Submarine Parts

AML3D Limited (ASX:AL3) has signed an initial production parts order valued at approximately AU$0.5 million with Austal USA Advanced Technologies. The contract covers three large, high-pressure copper-nickel fluid control components destined for US Navy nuclear submarines.

The parts will be manufactured at AML3D's US headquarters and technology centre in Stow, Ohio, using the company's proprietary Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAM) technology. This marks a transition from traditional fabrication methods to metal 3D printing for these critical submarine components.

Payment terms are structured with 50% upfront and the balance due upon delivery, testing, and commissioning. Completion is expected by the end of the third quarter of FY27.

The order represents the conversion of a successful copper-nickel qualification program into commercial production. AML3D CEO Sean Ebert described it as "a strong endorsement of our WAM technology."

AML3D has deployed 17 ARCEMY systems to meet US demand, with 16 of those supporting the US Navy Submarine Industrial Base. The company cited a previously disclosed US Navy forecast indicating a need for up to 100 advanced additive manufacturing systems and 1,600 additively manufactured components by 2030.

The contract arrives as AML3D continues to build its US presence. Earlier this year, the company secured a separate AU$2.61 million order through BlueForge Alliance for five non-safety-critical submarine components that are no longer available from original manufacturers. That 10-month program is already underway.

Austal USA operates the US Navy's Additive Manufacturing Centre of Excellence in Danville, Virginia, where it already runs multiple ARCEMY systems. The partnership between the two companies dates back to at least 2025, when AML3D delivered its largest custom ARCEMY system to the facility.

For AML3D, the submarine work is becoming a steady revenue stream rather than a one-off experiment. The company's strategy hinges on embedding its metal printing systems inside the Navy's supplier network and then selling both the machines and the parts they produce.