Navy Seeks Industry Input for 3D Printing 129 Parts
Additive manufacturers should review the new naval procurement criteria to prepare for potential future contract solicitations.
Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Manufacturing
Live Poll
Should the military use 3D printed components for critical and safety-sensitive naval equipment?
The U.S. Navy is seeking industry input on additive manufacturing for 129 naval parts across four supply classes. This request for information, issued October 14, 2026, aims to refine contract incentives and evaluation criteria for future 3D-printed component procurement.
Why it matters
The agency is adjusting its commercial strategy to ensure it attracts a robust pool of qualified manufacturers for critical supply chain needs. By surveying the market now, the Navy hopes to stabilize competition and refine contract terms before issuing a formal, larger-scale solicitation.
The Navy is evaluating 129 candidate parts across four supply classes to determine feasibility for additive production. This follows smaller deployments, such as a US$1.84 million order for five components placed in March 2026.
The players
Naval Supply Systems Command
The agency responsible for managing the supply chain and procurement of parts for the United States Navy.
Applied Rapid Technologies
A prime contractor under the Joint Additive Manufacturing Acceptance program.
AML3D
An additive manufacturing firm that provides specialized 3D-printed metal components for industrial applications.
The details
The Naval Supply Systems Command is soliciting feedback on how to best structure firm-fixed-price contracts to encourage industry participation. Participants must submit capability and administrative data in PDF format by the November deadline to influence the upcoming solicitation process. The agency specifically excluded technical data packages and government-furnished drawings from this current inquiry, focusing instead on potential manufacturing capacity and economic models for scaling production.
Timeline
March 2026: Applied Rapid Technologies gained prime contractor status for the Joint Additive Manufacturing Acceptance program.
March 2026: AML3D completed an order for five replacement components.
October 14, 2026: NAVSUP issued the official request for information.
November 2, 2026: Deadline for industry responses to the RFI.
Market Landscape
This move signals a broader transition toward formalizing 3D printing in military logistics. It builds directly upon the framework of the Joint Additive Manufacturing Acceptance program by standardizing how private firms engage with naval procurement.
Manufacturers with 3D printing capabilities should review the supply classes 4820, 4810, 4730, and 4140 to determine if their current production meets military-grade standards. Operators should prepare administrative capability summaries to respond to the Navy's call for industry input before the November 2, 2026, deadline.
The takeaway
The Navy is actively looking to standardize the procurement of 3D-printed parts to bolster its supply chain resilience. Manufacturers should monitor future solicitations for potential inclusion of high-stakes items, as the agency has signaled that Level I and SUBSAFE parts could eventually shift to additive processes.
Further reading
For broader trends in industrial 3D printing and federal procurement policy, visit Manufacturing.
Source note: This article includes information reported by 3D Printing Industry.
Live Poll
Should the military use 3D printed components for critical and safety-sensitive naval equipment?
