US Navy 3D-Prints Combat Drones Aboard Aircraft Carrier During RIMPAC

The US Navy just proved that a 3D printer can keep up with a warship at sea. During the RIMPAC exercise in Hawaii, a containerized manufacturing system aboard the USS Essex produced 12 combat-ready FPV drones and more than 1,000 additional parts while the ship sailed through rough seas.

The system, built by Firestorm Labs under the name xCell, ran nonstop during the voyage. Production did not stop for 12-foot waves or the constant motion of an aircraft carrier underway. That matters for any future conflict where resupply chains get cut and ships cannot wait weeks for replacement parts from port.

What xCell Actually Printed

The 12 drones were Squall FPV models, small enough to fit in a backpack but capable of hitting 80 mph. Each one came off the printer ready to fly. The system also printed brackets, harnesses, and other mission-critical spares that would normally require a stocked warehouse or a long delivery.

Firestorm said the platform combines fused deposition modeling with precision toolpaths that let operators switch between prototypes and production parts without retooling. The whole factory fits inside a standard shipping container, which means it can move by truck, ship, or aircraft without special handling.

Why This Test Matters

The Navy has been chasing distributed manufacturing for years. The idea is simple: instead of loading a ship with every possible spare part before deployment, carry the digital files and a compact factory. When something breaks or a new requirement appears, print it.

Previous tests happened in calm waters or controlled pier-side conditions. The RIMPAC run changed that. The xCell system was on board the Essex while the ship transited from San Diego to Hawaii, meaning it faced real wave action, temperature swings, and the vibration of flight operations.

CAMRE, the Naval Postgraduate School's Center for Additive Manufacturing Research and Education, ran the program. Its director, Heidi Beemer, noted that this was the first time a containerized 3D printing system operated as a shipboard manufacturing asset during a major exercise. The goal was not just to show it could print, but to show it could print useful parts under operational conditions.

The Bigger Picture

This was not a one-off stunt. The Navy plans to expand additive manufacturing across the fleet. The Marine Corps already uses 3D printers at forward operating bases, and the Army has deployed similar systems in austere environments. But shipboard use introduces vibration, salt air, and power constraints that land-based systems never face.

Firestorm's xCell addressed those issues with vibration-damped frames and a power system that can run off shipboard grids. The company also built in material tracking software so commanders know exactly what feedstock remains and what can still be produced.

If the technology scales, the logistics tail for a carrier strike group shrinks. Every pound of spare parts carried today is a pound of fuel, water, or weapons that cannot be loaded instead. A 3D printer that can produce 1,000 parts on demand changes that math.

The RIMPAC test suggests the math is now workable.