Phillips to deploy containerised hybrid AM at RIMPAC 2026
Phillips Corporation, headquartered in Hanover, Maryland, USA, will deploy its hybrid metal Additive Manufacturing technology during the Rim of the Pacific Exercise 2026 (RIMPAC 2026), supporting the US Navy as part of the Naval Postgraduate School’s Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing Research and Education (CAMRE) distributed Additive Manufacturing network.
Through its federal division, Phillips Federal, the company will install a containerised Haas TM-1P CNC machine integrated with Meltio Blue wire-laser metal Additive Manufacturing technology aboard USS Essex (LHD-2). The hybrid manufacturing machine combines additive and subtractive manufacturing processes, enabling the production, repair and restoration of critical metal components closer to the point of need.
The deployment is intended to demonstrate how expeditionary manufacturing can reduce the time required to obtain replacement parts and complete repairs in austere, distributed environments where conventional supply chains may be unavailable. By producing or restoring components on or near deployed assets, the technology has the potential to improve operational readiness and reduce maintenance delays.
According to Phillips Corporation, the system combines Haas CNC technology with Meltio’s wire-laser metal deposition process to manufacture new components, repair worn parts and carry out precision machining operations within a single workflow.
“RIMPAC provides an opportunity to evaluate how advanced manufacturing can help solve real sustainment challenges for the fleet,” stated Brian Kristaponis, Phillips Additive Manufacturing Solutions President. “When critical parts are unavailable through traditional supply channels, the ability to manufacture or repair components closer to the point of need can help improve readiness and keep systems operational. We are honoured to support the Naval Postgraduate School, CAMRE, Fleetwerx and the US Navy in this important effort.”
Phillips Federal has worked with the US Department of Defense, the Naval Postgraduate School and industry partners to develop deployable manufacturing solutions intended to enhance sustainment, increase resilience and support operational readiness across the Joint Force.
The deployment forms part of CAMRE’s distributed Additive Manufacturing experiment, which connects manufacturing assets across multiple locations to explore new approaches to distributed logistics and maintenance in contested environments.
Fleetwerx, a partnership intermediary for the Naval Postgraduate School, supports CAMRE by connecting government, industry and academia to evaluate emerging technologies in operational environments. Through the programme, industry partners, including Phillips Corporation, can demonstrate advanced manufacturing capabilities in real-world military sustainment scenarios.
Held biennially, RIMPAC is the world’s largest international maritime exercise, bringing together military forces from around the world to strengthen partnerships, enhance interoperability and demonstrate collective readiness. RIMPAC 2026 is taking place from June 24 to July 31 around the Hawaiian Islands and surrounding waters, involving more than 25,000 personnel, forty surface ships, five submarines and 140 aircraft operating throughout the Pacific region.
