US Air Force seeks to develop 3D printers for protective structures — Defense News
In the United States, the Air Force intends to develop mobile 3D printers for the rapid construction of protective structures at military bases. The initiative is being implemented under the Small Business Innovation Research program, which will accept applications until January 2027, Defense News reports.
Protection against missiles and drones
In its solicitation, the Air Force acknowledged that for decades service members have often been housed in tents, trailers and structures with flat walls that were not designed for modern aerial threats. According to a September report by the Office of Inspector General of the US Department of Defense, Iranian attacks damaged hundreds of US military buildings in eight Middle Eastern countries.
The Air Force believes that existing concrete-printing technologies do not yet fully address the task of protecting structures from missile and drone strikes. This involves combining materials suitable for field conditions, procedures for operators, and structural geometry that reduces the impact of blast waves and fragments.
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Requirements for mobile technology
The project provides for evaluating cement-like materials based on strength, adhesion and the possibility of using locally available components. It also plans to develop structure shapes that should be more resilient than traditional flat-walled designs: reducing blast-wave reflection, limiting pressure amplification, interrupting fragment trajectories and better protecting people inside.
The ultimate goal is a mobile printer that military personnel with minimal training can deploy and operate in challenging field conditions. The Air Force is also considering civilian uses of the technology for critical infrastructure and humanitarian aid, although its commercial implementation will require approvals, including those related to building codes.
Previous experience
The US Air Force already used 3D printing during the reconstruction of Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, which was damaged by a hurricane, in 2023. Separately, an engineering squadron of the Maryland National Guard is developing its own mobile concrete printer.
