Additive Manufacturing in the UAS Environment · Series Paper 6 · Sustainment Pillar
From Depot to Battlefield
Reforming the Defense Maintenance and Repair Ecosystem Through Additive Manufacturing for UAS Sustainment
Abstract
This paper examines the sustainment cost and cycle-time problem in tactical UAS programs, where spare-parts shortages and contractor-dependent repair pipelines ground capable platforms for weeks.
It assesses how additive manufacturing can transform the three-echelon maintenance system for UAS, drawing on DoDD 4151.18, the Army Battle-Damaged Repair and Fabrication initiative, the DARPA SURGE qualification program, the FY2026 NDAA’s AM mandates, GAO sustainment reporting, and operational evidence from the Hawkeye Platoon model and Ukraine’s distributed FPV production ecosystem.
Key Findings
- Spare-parts shortages and contractor-dependent repair pipelines ground capable UAS for weeks.
- AM can restructure the three-echelon maintenance system toward point-of-need fabrication.
- DARPA SURGE targets acceleration of AM part qualification.
- FY2026 NDAA §§220A, 849, 871 mandate AM adoption, ban adversary AM equipment, and demonstrate contested logistics.
- The Hawkeye Platoon model and Ukraine’s distributed FPV production show the operational template.
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Primary Sources
DoDI 4151.18 Maintenance of Military Materiel (Aug 2024)
DoDI 5000.93
FY2026 NDAA §§220A / 849 / 871
GAO-25-108679 (Sep 2025)
Army.mil: Hawkeye Platoon (Aug 2025)
DARPA SURGE program (2024)
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