AML3D Limited, an Australian additive manufacturing (AM) company, has successfully delivered 3D-printed copper-nickel tailpiece components for the U.S. Navy’s Virginia-Class nuclear submarine program. This milestone highlights the growing collaboration under the AUKUS partnership, a trilateral security alliance between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The prototype components, valued at A$156,000, were produced in less than five weeks using AML3D’s advanced 3D metal-printing technology. Traditional manufacturing methods would have taken approximately 17 months. The parts will undergo testing before being installed on a conventionally armed, nuclear-powered Virginia-Class submarine in 2025.
Rear Admiral Jonathan Rucker, program executive officer for attack submarines, emphasized the importance of such partnerships. “Collaboration in this space is critical to building and sustaining Virginia-Class submarines now and for decades to come. Partnerships like the one with AML3D help create resilience and robustness in domestic and naval operations,” he said.
AML3D has been working closely with the U.S. Navy’s Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) Program and BlueForge Alliance (BFA), a non-profit defense industrial base integrator, for the past two years. The collaboration aims to address supply chain challenges and meet urgent material needs for U.S. submarines.
Sean Ebert, CEO of AML3D, highlighted the company’s progress. “Over the past two years, we’ve developed a successful model involving cross-continental coordination, information sharing, and the deployment of our ARCEMY 3D metal-printing technology. We’ve also completed extensive testing of materials like copper-nickel, enabling us to supply components for the U.S. nuclear submarine program,” he said.
The AUKUS partnership focuses on two key initiatives. The first is supporting Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Australian Navy. The second aims to enhance joint capabilities in areas such as cyber security, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and undersea operations.
This delivery marks a significant step in integrating advanced manufacturing technologies into defense supply chains, showcasing the potential of 3D printing to address critical challenges in naval operations.
