According to DVIDS, the Indiana Army National Guard, in collaboration with the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, achieved a historic milestone during August’s Technology and Readiness Experimentation 25-2 exercise – successfully conducting a first-of-its-kind demonstration of tactical in-flight 3D printing aboard a US Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter.
The demonstration showcased the FieldFab Expeditionary 3D Printer, a ruggedized additive manufacturing system designed by Craitor, a 3D printing technology developer working with the US Department of Defense, to withstand expeditionary conditions and operate under MIL-STD-810H standards for survivability during ground vehicle transportation, as well as during transport through shock and vibration, and in extreme hot/cold temperatures.
“This demonstration is about more than printing parts in the air – it’s about transforming how the military can sustain combat power,” said Eric Shnell, CEO of Craitor. “If soldiers can fabricate precision components on demand, even while airborne, it means less downtime, greater readiness, and unmatched adaptability in contested environments.”
Securely mounted inside the aircraft and powered by Sentient Industries’ METEOR Quiet Tactical Power solution, the system printed attritable unmanned aerial system parts to stringent original equipment manufacturer specifications, all while the aircraft executed maximum performance tactical maneuvers at altitude. The printer fabricated components from a standardized technical data package, underscoring how AM can integrate into the Defense Industrial Base’s digital engineering and sustainment ecosystem.
The in-flight 3D printing demonstration was a standout example of how tactical experimentation can directly inform senior leader decision-making, shaping future investments and accelerating the adoption of capabilities that strengthen deterrence.
“We are moving promising technologies out of the lab and into the hands of soldiers – assessing how they perform under operational conditions and how they can transform the fight,” said Lt. Col. Matthew Limeberry, the Rapid Assessment of Prototype Technology Readiness Task Force commander. “Innovation like this highlights how quickly we can adapt commercial technologies to operational realities. The ability to print parts mid-mission represents a new level of agility for sustainment and expands what our forces can achieve under fire.”
The Indiana Army’s successful trial represents a pioneering step toward mobile, distributed manufacturing for expeditionary operations. Rather than relying solely on long supply chains, forces could soon design and produce replacement parts, adaptive drone payloads, and mission-specific equipment closer to the tactical edge.
