AES 3D prints 20ft missile mockup for Lockheed Martin

Additive Engineering Solutions (AES) has successfully 3D printed a life-sized, 20-foot missile mockup for Lockheed Martin. This accomplishment is further recognition for the growing importance of Large Format Additive Manufacturing (LFAM) in defense and aerospace, where rapid prototyping, precision, and cost efficiency are critical.

The full-scale missile model demonstrates how 3D printing can streamline the development of complex defense products by offering high levels of customization, reduced lead times, and the ability to create detailed replicas that would otherwise require traditional and more expensive manufacturing processes. This mockup is not just a visual tool—it serves a critical role in bringing ideas to life and securing funding for emerging defense programs.

Impact of LFAM in defense

LFAM enables the production of large, complex components with exceptional ease in a growing range of industries. Its applications in defense go beyond missile mockups and prototypes. It allows engineers and designers to experiment with intricate geometries and create life-sized objects that accurately represent final products. By using this approach, companies like Lockheed Martin can not only visualize but also validate designs at a fraction of the traditional time and cost.

Having a physical, full-scale representation of a defense system offers more than just aesthetic appeal. It provides stakeholders, investors, and potential customers with a tangible understanding of the design and capabilities of a product. This is crucial for securing funding in a competitive environment, where visual impact and hands-on demonstrations can greatly influence decision-makers. While this is not Lockheed Martin’s first go at LFAM, AES’s missile mockup for Lockheed Martin highlights how additive manufacturing can lead to more compelling presentations, accelerating the path from concept to reality.

AES in defense

AES has repeatedly demonstrated its value as a leading provider of large-scale mockups, showing how additive solutions can be pivotal in advancing new defense programs. By offering high-quality prototypes and models, the company is rising to the forefront of defense innovation, supporting companies like Lockheed Martin in pushing the boundaries of technology and design.

From mockups for large ground vehicles and prototyping for defense weapons systems, AES provides a multitude of services to the A&D market. The company is able to provide different levels of tooling solutions to meet specific costs needs across the various aircraft markets. Full-scale models and mockups are also very important in the development phase of new aircraft such as VTOL/eVTOL, business jets, agriculture, and search & rescue. For the space industry as well, AES provides tooling, assembly fixtures, large custom transportation dunnage, as well as Assembly & Integration models and demonstrators.

LFAM, with its ability to print large-scale components, is not just about reducing costs. It’s about increasing flexibility, speeding up development, and providing an unprecedented level of detail in prototypes, all of which are essential for industries where precision and innovation are key drivers.