Defense technology company Firestorm Labs has successfully produced 3D-printed unmanned aerial systems aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex while at sea, demonstrating a new capability to manufacture operational hardware without relying on shore resupply.
Operating during the vessel’s transit to the RIMPAC 2026 exercise in Hawaii, the company utilized its containerized xCell microfactory to fabricate over 1,000 components and 12 proprietary 3D-printable Squall first-person view (FPV) drones. The deployment proved effective even under harsh maritime conditions, with service members assembling drones amidst 12-foot waves. Beyond manufacturing operational aircraft, crew members printed mechanical test components to evaluate printer efficacy and produced essential repair parts needed directly by the ship’s crew. The produced drones were subsequently fielded as adversary assets during counter-drone exercises at RIMPAC.
The initiative directly supports the U.S. Navy’s broader push for modular, transportable defense capabilities designed to shorten logistics chains in contested environments. By producing parts and complete airframes on station, naval forces can compress repair timelines from weeks to hours while preserving critical fuel and transport resources. This operational test aligns with the Pentagon’s expanding containerized capability campaign, which aims to field transportable missile and drone manufacturing units across global theaters.
