Firestorm Labs recently deployed a containerized 3D-printing facility aboard the USS Essex during the RIMPAC exercise. The initiative allowed the U.S. Navy to manufacture "Squall" FPV drones and critical ship components while at sea.
The Squall FPV: 80 mph drones printed on the USS Essex
By partnering with Orqa FPVs, Firestorm Labs utilized its Xcell containerized 3D-printing facility to produce a specialized unmanned aircraft known as the Squall. According to the report, the Squall FPV drone is optimized for additive manufacturing and is capable of reaching speeds of 80 mph with a flight range of approximately 20 miles. These drones can carry payloads weighing up to 5.5 pounds, making them versatile tools for surveillance or attack missions.
During the RIMPAC exercise, these 3D-printed Squall drones served as "red cell" adversaries. This allowed the U.S. Navy to train crews in counter-UAS tactics by simulating incoming threats that were manufactured directly on the vessel. The collaboration leverages Orqa FPVs' existing MRM1-5 and MRM2-10 platforms, which have already seen active combat use in Ukraine.
Saving $230,000 per Apache rotor blade through additive manufacturing
The utility of the Xcell facility extended beyond combat drones to essential maintenance.. Firestorm Labs printed over 1 ,000 parts during the deployment on the USS Essex, including rotor droop stops for Apache Helicopters. As the report notes, these stops prevent rotor blades from striking the ship's deck in rough seas—a critical safeguard given that a single Apache rotor blade costs roughly $230,000.
The flexibility of on-demand printing allowed the crew of the USS Essex to request a variety of niche components. These included reverse-engineered valve handwheels, deck tie-down gauges, Starlink mounts, and vacuum adapters used for testing inflatable Life Preserver Units. By producing these items on-site, the Navy can bypass the high costs and significant delays typically associated with maritime supply chains.
Lessons from Ukraine and Iran applied to RIMPAC 2026
The push toward expeditionary manufacturing is a direct response to the evolving nature of modern naval warfare. The conflicts in Ukraine and Iran have highlighted the devastating effectiveness of small, expendable drones, forcing navies to rapidly integrate these tools into their arsenals. However, the logistics of transporting fragile drone fleets to ships in remote waters often create a bottleneck that offsets their cost-effectiveness.
The RIMPAC 2026 exercise served as a broader testing ground for these shifts, incorporating not only Firestorm Labs' printing tech but also a large-scale AI-powered data aggregation project. This move toward additive manufacturing suggests a strategic pivot where the ability to print parts becomes a core requirement for future naval vessel design, reducing the reliance on vulnerable and slow-moving supply lines.
The sterilization hurdle for 3D-printed surgical tools
While the demonstration on the USS Essex was largely a success, a significant technical question remains regarding medical applications. Because the USS Essex also functions as a forward-deployed medical ship and crisis support vessel, there is a strong interest in printing surgical tools on demand during disaster responses.
The primary unknown is whether these 3D-printed medical instruments can be effectively sterilized to meet surgical standards. If this hurdle is cleared, the U.S. Navy could potentially manufacture patient-specific medical equipment in the middle of the ocean, though the source does not confirm that this capability has been fully validated for clinical use.
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