Army Taps Velo3D to Fix Critical Combat Vehicle Supply Chains

FREMONT, CA – January 13, 2026 – The U.S. Army is turning to advanced 3D printing to solve a deepening crisis in its supply chain, partnering with additive manufacturing firm Velo3D to develop and produce mission-critical metal parts for its ground combat vehicles. The landmark Cooperative Research & Development Agreement (CRADA) between Velo3D and the Army's DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) aims to slash repair delays and bolster the readiness of the nation's military fleet.

Under the agreement, the two organizations will work to rapidly prototype, qualify, and manufacture complex metal components that are often subject to long lead times or are no longer produced. This collaboration directly targets one of the most pressing challenges facing the Department of Defense: a fragile and often outdated supply chain that has left a significant portion of its armored fleet, including Abrams tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles, sidelined and awaiting parts.

Addressing a Critical Readiness Gap

The partnership arrives at a critical juncture for U.S. military logistics. Recent congressional watchdog reports have painted a stark picture of the Army's ground vehicle readiness, indicating that a majority of key combat systems are not mission-ready due to inadequate maintenance and chronic shortages of spare parts. These issues stem from a confluence of factors, including a shrinking domestic manufacturing base, over-reliance on single-source suppliers, and the difficulty of procuring components for aging vehicle platforms.

This logistics vulnerability has been identified by the Department of Defense as a key national security risk. The traditional manufacturing model, which often involves complex, multi-stage subtractive processes and global supply lines, has proven too slow and inflexible to meet the demands of a modern military. The goal of the CRADA is to create a new paradigm where digital files can be transformed into physical, battlefield-ready parts on an accelerated timeline.

By leveraging Velo3D's domestic additive manufacturing capabilities, the Army aims to create a more resilient and responsive supply chain. The ability to print parts on-demand could drastically reduce vehicle downtime, increase operational availability, and provide a vital surge capacity in the event of a conflict. "We are excited for this collaboration between GVSC and Velo3D to identify solutions that will rapidly improve the resilience to the Army's combat vehicle supply chain," said Mr. Brandon Pender, Associate Director of GVSC Materials Engineering. "The combination of GVSC's expertise...with Velo3D's proven capabilities...is sure to deliver the solutions the warfighter needs."

Beyond Prototypes: A New Era of Manufacturing

This initiative moves beyond using 3D printing for simple prototypes and into the realm of producing qualified, end-use parts for mission-critical applications. Velo3D's technology is central to this leap, offering capabilities that overcome the limitations of legacy additive manufacturing systems. The company's fully integrated solution includes its Sapphire® family of printers, which are capable of manufacturing highly complex metal parts without the need for the internal support structures that often compromise design and require extensive post-processing.

This technical advantage allows engineers to produce components with intricate internal channels, thin walls, and other complex geometries that were previously impossible to manufacture. The printers can handle a range of high-performance alloys, including titanium and Inconel, which are essential for defense applications requiring high strength and temperature resistance. Furthermore, Velo3D's large-format systems can produce parts up to 600mm in diameter and one meter in height, expanding the scope of printable components to include larger structural elements for ground vehicles.

Crucially for defense applications, Velo3D's systems are assembled in the United States and meet stringent Department of Defense cybersecurity standards. The printers have achieved Green Level STIG Compliance, allowing them to connect securely to military networks and ensuring the integrity of the digital thread from design file to finished part. This secure, domestic production capability is a cornerstone of the Army's effort to modernize its maintenance operations and build a more secure industrial base.

A Strategic Move in a Competitive Field

For Velo3D, this CRADA represents a significant validation of its technology and a deepening of its strategic focus on the defense sector. The company is not a newcomer to military applications, having previously secured a $32.6 million contract with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) for a critical weapon system program and engaged in partnerships to supply its technology to various government agencies.

This agreement with GVSC solidifies its position as a key enabler of the DoD's supply chain modernization strategy. "Velo3D is proud to be the first U.S.-based industrial scale OEM with domestically developed Laser Powder-Bed Fusion additive manufacturing technologies to additively manufacture alternatives for the U.S. Army's ground vehicle supply chains," stated Dr. Arun Jeldi, CEO of Velo3D. He emphasized that the company's solution provides "faster part delivery, enhanced reliability, and the surge capacity needed to meet evolving defense demands."

The partnership also highlights a broader trend within the defense industry, which is increasingly turning to the additive manufacturing market to solve its most difficult production challenges. While Velo3D faces competition from other established and emerging AM companies, its focus on an end-to-end, quality-assured process for high-complexity parts gives it a distinct advantage in the mission-critical space.

From Digital File to Battlefield Readiness

The immediate goal of the CRADA is to identify several candidate parts, develop the printing processes, and conduct rigorous testing to qualify them for Army use. Upon successful qualification, the digital blueprints for these Velo3D-produced alternatives will be available for insertion into the Army's official supply chain, providing field commanders and depot maintenance crews with a new, powerful tool to keep vehicles in the fight.

The collaboration will leverage Velo3D's Rapid Production Solution (RPS), which combines systems, technical expertise, and production capacity to scale from prototyping to full production. This integrated approach is designed to ensure that the printed parts are not only functional but also repeatable and reliable across the entire fleet of Velo3D printers. The in-situ quality assurance provided by the company's Assure system monitors each layer of a part as it is built, providing an unprecedented level of traceability and confidence for components where failure is not an option. This partnership represents a significant step towards a more agile, resilient, and technologically advanced sustainment model for the nation's ground forces.