Strategic Importance of Additive Manufacturing in Defense Operations
Metal 3D printing has gained increasing traction with the Federal government and Department of Defense (DOD) in recent years. Many agencies, industries, academia and U.S. allies are designing and testing in the additive manufacturing (AM) space to simplify highly complex applications. Military maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services rely largely on high-quality AM assets to ensure mission readiness and sustainment across the lifecycle of critical defense equipment.
The DOD published its strategy on additive manufacturing in 2021 stating it will “enable a more agile, adaptable and aligned defense supply base to outpace adversarial threats”. According to the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, the DOD’s goal is to “integrate and promote the use of additive manufacturing to modernize weapon systems, increase materiel readiness, and enhance warfighter capabilities”. Since AM is a versatile technology that delivers advantages across multiple defense applications, the most precise and accurate technology will ensure the DOD achieves greater operational performance and overcome deployed and forward-operating challenges.
Challenges with Current Additive Manufacturing in Military MRO
Much of the current additive manufacturing equipment and processes in the U.S. defense sector focus on generic part production rather than tailoring components to the specific requirements of the warfighter or MRO environment. This creates a major gap in usability. In the words of NCMS, “Each part has its own unique material properties, microstructure, and fatigue life.” When AM-produced parts are designed without consideration for real-world application stresses or maintenance integration, they often fail to meet the needs of the maintainers on the ground. As a result, these parts become shelf assets rather than field-ready solutions—wasting time, resources, and critical opportunities for operational efficiency.
For military MRO teams, the stakes are high. Aircraft, ground vehicles, and weapons systems require durable, precise, fit-for-purpose components to keep systems running safely and effectively. AM should be a force multiplier for MRO, but only if it is developed with the end user in mind. As NCMS also points out, integrating AM successfully into sustainment “requires close collaboration between OEMs, depots, and the DoD.” The defense industry must pivot from making generic replacement parts to creating mission-driven solutions that match specific platforms, usage scenarios, and service conditions. Without this shift, additive manufacturing will fall short of its potential in military sustainment leading to inconsistent results, poor quality in parts material density, and an extremely slow turnaround time.
Introducing BTS™: A Mission-Driven Leap in Additive Manufacturing
Fonon Technologies’ Bulk-To-Shape (BTS™) Transformation Technology, currently under development, aligns with the U.S. Department of Defense’s strategy to adopt and integrate additive manufacturing to ramp up rapid prototyping and end-use parts production. BTS™ is the result of proprietary intellectual property with the latest developments in 3D metal printing, reinforced by a family of patents from the Lawrence Livermore National Security Lab. This innovative approach represents a paradigm shift in metal printing systems, enabling highly precise production and rapid turnaround times that reduce costs and lead times for hundreds of types of parts and components. Most importantly, our technology employs an application-centered approach focusing on the end-user’s specific requirements, which will enhance the operational efficiency of end users.
A key feature of BTS™ is its production of uniform powder density, which results in improved consistency, enhanced material properties, and reduced operational costs. By controlling powder quality at the foundational level, BTS™ ensures repeatable, reliable outcomes in additive manufacturing—eliminating variability that often leads to part failure or costly rework. This level of precision directly supports the Department of Defense’s push for rapid, mission-ready solutions. As the U.S. military continues to prioritize readiness and technological dominance, BTS™ enables faster deployment of critical components, ensuring warfighters’ needs are met swiftly and effectively without compromising quality or performance.
Another core advantage of BTS™ is its design flexibility. Unlike traditional additive manufacturing, BTS™ allows end users to produce highly complex, application-specific parts that meet precise operational demands. From lightweight, high-strength geometries to intricate internal features, BTS™ empowers maintainers and engineers to design components that directly match the needs of the field—whether for aerospace platforms, ground vehicles, or weapons systems. This tailored approach eliminates the limitations of off-the-shelf solutions, ensuring that parts are not only functional but optimized for the unique stresses and use cases they encounter in real-world military environments.
Additionally, BTS™ accelerates development cycles and streamlines logistics. Faster production times, reduced lead times, and less resource-intensive processes allow for rapid prototyping and on-demand part replacement, minimizing downtime in maintenance and overhaul operations. The system also promotes sustainable manufacturing practices. By maximizing powder recyclability and minimizing material waste, BTS™ aligns with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles—reducing the carbon footprint while maintaining operational efficiency. In today’s defense landscape, where both mission readiness and sustainability are priorities, BTS™ delivers on both fronts.
Organizations That Also Make a Difference in Additive Manufacturing
One of the most influential organizations advancing additive manufacturing (AM) in the United States is America Makes—the national accelerator for AM innovation. Established as a public-private partnership under the Department of Defense and managed by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), America Makes plays a critical role in coordinating efforts between government, industry, and academia to accelerate AM adoption. Their mission is to develop comprehensive AM solutions that address real-world challenges across sectors, with a particular focus on defense readiness and supply chain resilience.
America Makes’ Additive Manufacturing Technology Roadmap is directly aligned with current DoD sustainment and modernization goals. The roadmap outlines strategic priorities including improving process repeatability, standardizing AM materials and qualification methods, and integrating AM into maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) pipelines. These objectives closely match what the DoD is actively seeking—reliable, high-quality AM parts that can be produced rapidly, close to the point of need, and without compromising performance or safety. By promoting collaboration, reducing technological barriers, and helping set national standards, America Makes is ensuring that AM is not just a promising technology, but a deployable, mission-critical tool for defense operations.
Beyond Prototyping: BTS™ Bridges the Gap to Full-Scale Production
While first-generation 3D metal printing has transformed the prototyping process by shrinking cycle times and reducing development costs, our new bulk-to-shape technology provides a cost-effective method for developing application-specific 3D metal-printing tools. The technology combines proprietary processes with an understanding of the molecular behavior of materials under transitional temperatures, and intellectual property related to developing metal laser-sintering equipment. The result is the ability to bridge the gap between prototyping and full production.
Fonon Technologies’ BTS™ technology represents a transformative step in additive manufacturing, and when fully commercialized, will enable the DOD to optimize existing part designs with unparalleled precision, efficiency and consistency. BTS™ exemplifies Fonon Technologies’ expanding portfolio of next generation technologies supported by our patents, licenses, and proprietary intellectual property. By pioneering our cutting-edge 3D metal printing technology, we aim to aid the DOD in “modernizing the Nation’s defense and increasing materiel readiness”.