3D-printing ICBM parts; shutdown countdown; Boeing stands up venture arm; and a lot more.

Among the first stories I wrote for Defense One were about how the Pentagon and defense industry were exploring the use of 3D printing for weapons and equipment. Nearly three years later, as the technology matures and gains wider certification for military use, printed parts are becoming commonplace in everything from satellites to ICBMs.

Aerojet Rocketdyne has been using 3D printing — additive manufacturing, companies call it — to make RL10 engines for Atlas and Delta rockets.

“Infusing this technology into full-scale rocket engines is truly transformative, as it opens up new design possibilities for our engineers and paves the way for a new generation of low-cost rocket engines,” said Jeff Haynes, the company’s additive manufacturing program manager.

Printed parts aren’t just for the rocket. An upcoming Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite is slated to lift off with a printed “aluminum electronic enclosure designed to hold avionic circuits.” It will be the first such part certified for use on a Lockheed Martin military satellite.

“By going from multiple machined parts to one 3D-printed part, the team was able to save time in the design and production cycle, as well as increase the quality and consistency of the units,” Lockheed said in a statement. “The lead time for manufacturing the part went from six months to only 1.5 months, with assembly time also being reduced from 12 hours to just three hours.”

Printed parts are also a key part of Lockheed’s bid to replace the military’s old ICBMs. A company infographic for the proposed Ground Based Strategic Deterrent lists 3D printing among the “leading tech” in its bid.

“It’s not just about 3D printing or digital technology. We’re trying to bring 21st-century tools to a 21st-century system,” John Karas, the company Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program manager said last month. “You have to design the system and sustain it over 50 years, so you better have really good digital backbone to do that.”

Karas said his firm considers additive manufacturing as part of a “digital tapestry.” Lockheed has already 3D-printed and flown a handful of small parts for other projects. Lockheed has broken ground on a new facility at Hill Air Force Base in Utah that will have a digital design center and 3D printing shop.

“We’re hoping by the time we field GBSD, we’ll be able to do that,” he said.

Welcome!

You’ve reached the Defense One Global Business Brief by Marcus Weisgerber. As always, your tips, comments, and random thoughts are welcome at mweisgerber@defenseone.com or on Twitter @MarcusReports. Check out the Global Business Brief archive here, and tell your friends to subscribe!


From Defense One

The US Is About to Stop Buying Tomahawk Missiles, Like the Ones That Hit Syria // Marcus Weisgerber

But it's planning to upgrade its existing stock — and lay the groundwork for a next-generation cruise missile.

Can US Warplanes Evade Russian Air Defenses? We May Soon Find Out in Syria // Patrick Tucker

If things go south, high-end American fighters may take on top-of-the-line Russian anti-aircraft missiles.

The Five Coolest Drones from America's Biggest Naval Arms Show // Patrick Tucker

New drones above and beneath the waves will change the way navies sail and fight in contested waters.


Is a Government Shutdown Looming? How about a Full-Year CR?

Halfway through fiscal 2017, Pentagon funding levels remain frozen at 2016 budget levels. The current continuing resolution expires on April 28. Byron Callan at Capital Alpha Partners puts the odds at 65 percent that Congress avoids a full-year continuing resolution. A senior Pentagon official tells me they expect Congress to pass another short-term CR when lawmakers return from their two-week Passover/Easter break. Also, expect the Trump administration to send its 2018 budget proposal to Congress in mid-May. Something to watch: What will happen to the Trump administration’s $30 billion budget amendment for new fighter jets, helicopters, missiles and more sent to Congress in mid-March? Right now, it still appears DOA.

Cost of War

Speaking of military spending, a new report out from the Costs of War Project at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs. The report — co-authored by William Hartung and Catherine Lutz — looks at how U.S. military spending stacks up against other nations and the Trump administration's defense spending plans.

F-35 Workers Union Urges Program Funding

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers — the labor union that represents workers on the F-35 production line — is asking its members to urge lawmakers to fund purchases of the jet. “The positive economic impact of the F-35 program continues to grow,” the union said in a statement. “This mature program supports more than 45,000 direct and over 125,000 indirect American jobs at approximately 1,400 suppliers across the nation; this results in an annual economic impact to the U.S. of over $24 billion. Importantly, these numbers are expected to increase as production increases in the coming years.” Lockheed Martin is preparing to move its F-16 production line from Fort Worth to South Carolina, a right-to-work state, to make room for additional F-35 manufacturing. International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers also build the F/A-18 Super Hornet in St. Louis.

Israeli, India Ink $2B Missile Defense Deals

Israel Aerospace Industries touted a $1.6 billion sale of surface-to-air missiles to the Indian army as the largest ever for Israel’s defense industry. The Indian Navy is also buying surface-to-air missiles for India’s first indigenously-built aircraft carrier in a deal whose value was not disclosed.

Boeing Stands Up Venture Capital Shop

Called HorizonX, the new division — to be based in Chicago — has already made two strategic investments. The first is in Zunum Aero, a company developing aircraft powered by hybrid-electric engines. The Washington State-based company already has the backing of JetBlue Technology Ventures, the VC arm created by the New York-based airline last year. HorizonX is also investing in Upskill, a Virginia-based firm “building enterprise software for augmented reality devices.” Steve Nordlund — who helped launch drone-maker Insitu, which was acquired by Boeing in 2008 — will lead HorizonX. Boeing has had a venture business in its Phantom Works division for a number of years.

Boeing also announced that it would headquarter its new 20,000-person Global Services division in Plano, Texas. The site, called Legacy West, is a mixed-use development, not at an airport.

Norwegian Defense Firm Grows

Nammo grew 35 percent in 2016, according to the firm’s annual report. The Norwegian company — which specializes in ammunition, shoulder-fired weapons and rocket motors for space and military systems — is now planning to invest $117 million in “new technology and equipment across its sites and businesses over the coming five years.” Among the company’s projects: making 25-millimeter rounds for the F-35. And with the space race heating up (as we told you last week), Nammo “is considering additional investments to strengthen its existing in-house technologies, including its advanced hybrid rocket motors,” the company said in a statement.

US Needs More Tech Hubs

That’s the advice of a new Atlantic Council report, “Keeping America’s Innovative Edge: A Strategic Framework.” “Expanding the circle of prosperity and spreading technological innovation throughout the country will be important to future economic growth. A more diverse and enlarged set of tech hubs can help seed more sources of prosperity throughout the country.” For year, Pentagon officials have been warning that the U.S. is losing its technological edge.

A Declassified Doc AvGeeks Will Love

Aviation pioneer Kelly Johnson’s 18-page white paper from September 1958 detailing Lockheed’s offering for the CIA’s top secret Oxcart program. The paper goes through early considerations for an aircraft called Archangel, which later became the A-12. Lockheed has more in its Code One magazine.

X
This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Learn More / Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Accept Cookies
X
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.

Allow All Cookies

Manage Consent Preferences

Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link

If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.

If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.

Save Settings
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Functional Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Performance Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Targeting Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.