Phillips Corporation is demonstrating its advanced deployable manufacturing capabilities at the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2026 exercise by supporting the Naval Postgraduate School’s Distributed Advanced Manufacturing Experiment. The initiative is designed to assess expeditionary manufacturing technologies that can produce and repair critical components in operational environments where conventional supply chains may be constrained.
As part of the programme, Phillips Federal has deployed a containerized hybrid manufacturing system aboard the USS Essex (LHD-2). The system integrates a Haas TM-1P CNC machining platform with Meltio’s wire-laser metal deposition technology, enabling additive and subtractive manufacturing within a single production environment. This capability allows military personnel to manufacture new metal parts, restore damaged components, and perform precision machining close to the point of operation.
RIMPAC, held every two years, is recognised as the world’s largest international maritime exercise. The 2026 edition brings together more than 25,000 military personnel, 40 surface vessels, five submarines and approximately 140 aircraft from partner nations across the Indo-Pacific region. The exercise focuses on strengthening operational cooperation, enhancing interoperability and improving collective maritime readiness.
Phillips Corporation is participating through the Naval Postgraduate School’s Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing Research and Education (CAMRE), which is evaluating how distributed manufacturing networks can strengthen logistics and maintenance capabilities in challenging operational scenarios. The programme seeks to demonstrate how advanced manufacturing technologies can reduce dependence on lengthy supply chains by producing replacement components closer to where they are required.
The initiative is supported by FLEETWERX, a Partnership Intermediary for the Naval Postgraduate School that connects government organisations, industry and academic institutions to accelerate the evaluation of innovative technologies in real-world defence environments. Through this collaboration, advanced manufacturing solutions are being tested under realistic operating conditions to address maintenance and sustainment requirements.
According to Phillips Corporation, the hybrid manufacturing platform offers greater flexibility for military maintenance teams by combining metal additive manufacturing with conventional machining. The integrated workflow is designed to shorten repair cycles, minimise equipment downtime and improve operational readiness when replacement parts are not readily available through traditional logistics channels.
Brian Kristaponis, President of Phillips Additive Manufacturing Solutions, said the exercise provides an important opportunity to evaluate how advanced manufacturing technologies can address practical sustainment challenges faced by defence forces. He noted that the ability to manufacture or repair mission-critical components near the point of need can significantly improve equipment availability while supporting operational continuity during complex missions.
Phillips Federal has worked closely with the US Department of Defense, the Naval Postgraduate School and industry partners to develop deployable manufacturing technologies that strengthen maintenance capabilities and improve resilience across military operations. By participating in RIMPAC 2026, the company is contributing to ongoing efforts to modernise defence logistics through advanced digital manufacturing solutions capable of supporting mission-critical operations in distributed environments.
