OEM shortages drive US Army in-house Black Hawk component production
Corpus Christi Army Depot uses 3D printing to produce UH-60 Black Hawk tail fins amid OEM parts shortage – also part of a wider shift towards use of composite materials
The Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD) in Texas is using 3D printing to manufacture replacement tail fins for the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter’s Crashworthy External Fuel System (CEFS), after a shortage of components from the original equipment manufacturer left the depot without a reliable parts supply.
The move is part of a growing, wider adoption of additive manufacturing on-site at army facilities as the benefits – which include significant cost savings in addition to vastly reduced lead times – far outweigh the initial set-up investment.
The tail fin is a component that frequently sustains damage during loading, removal, or landing, and even a minor incident can render an aircraft inoperable as the part is deemed destroyed.
In October 2025, CCAD’s engineering branch initiated a project to produce a viable replacement using additive manufacturing. Following a structural analysis and technical evaluation, leadership at Redstone Arsenal determined the depot had the capability to manufacture the part in-house.
The project moved forward despite institutional challenges. Justin Cook, Branch Chief for the Manufacturing Engineering Branch, stated: “We didn’t have the files and were experiencing the furlough. But we moved forward with ordering supplies and performing software upgrades.”
Procurement of the polyetherimide thermoplastic blend and associated software took approximately two months.
From prototype to certified part
To demonstrate expected output before final materials arrived, Cook generated test files using polycarbonate, a high-performance engineering thermoplastic used in aerospace for its impact resistance and thermal stability.
Once the polyetherimide sheets were received, the fin was printed in four segments over 82 hours, with an additional 16 hours required per segment for dimensional inspection and Certificate of Conformity verification. Total labor time from start to finish ran to approximately 60 hours.
Printing parameters, including temperature and speed, were drawn from data sets provided by the National Center for Advanced Materials Performance to ensure consistency between tested and produced parts. The component also has to comply with Federal Aviation Regulation standards for flame, smoke, and toxicity, and the depot is required to hold a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) production certificate or explicit FAA approval to certify airworthiness.
Christopher McKenzie, an Equipment Specialist within the Manufacturing Engineering Branch, described the fin as “critical for the possibilities to support our warfighters with our capabilities”.
Composites and the future of Army Aviation
The tail fin project sits within a broader shift toward composite materials across Army Aviation. CCAD currently employs approximately 30 composite artisans, and structural parts for the Future Vertical Lift program are trending more than 50% toward composite design.
“When people think of composites, they think in terms of carbon fiber and Kevlar. They do not see a component,” stated Daniel Izcano, Composite Fabricator Supervisor. “By showcasing our processes, we want Army Aviation to know that CCAD brings solutions.”
“For decades, our maintenance expertise has centered on metallic sheet metal airframes,” commented Major General Lori L. Robinson, Commanding General of the US Army Aviation and Missile Command. “However, the prevalence of composites demands a parallel and equally robust sustainment framework.
“Our soldiers, schoolhouses, and depots must be prepared to repair advanced composite parts and structures to keep our fleets at the highest rates of readiness and availability on the battlefield. It is about building a resilient, adaptable, and affordable maintenance system that can support the Army aviation enterprise for decades to come.”
