Aerospace and defenceNikon AM to build two-meter metal printers for Tomahawk missile mid-bodies
Nikon Advanced Manufacturing has received a US Department of War contract to deliver several customized laser powder bed fusion systems with a build height of two meters. They are meant for Tomahawk Land Attack Missile mid-bodies and similar parts. The work will run at the company's Long Beach technology center, with the department funding the large-format capacity directly.
Key facts- Announced October 22, 2026 under the Cornerstone Other Transaction Authority
- Multiple L-PBF systems with two-meter z-height, based on NXG-E
- Target: Tomahawk Land Attack Missile mid-bodies and similar parts
- Work runs at the Nikon AM Technology Center in Long Beach
Context Laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) melts thin layers of metal powder with a laser; the z-height is the maximum height of a part in the build chamber.
What does the contract cover?
Nikon AM announced on October 22, 2026 that it will supply multiple customized Nikon SLM Solutions L-PBF machines with a two-meter build height. They are derived from the large-format NXG-E platform and aimed at Tomahawk Land Attack Missile mid-bodies, plus comparable applications.
The award was made under the Cornerstone Other Transaction Authority, a route the department uses to fund defense industrial base and supply chain projects at speed. It belongs to the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment program.
Where will the systems run?
The program is based at the Nikon AM Technology Center in Long Beach, California. The site combines L-PBF equipment with engineering, production, laboratory and qualification capability. The systems will be used for prototypes and to scale up critical production capacity. Nikon AM calls the contract foundational because it secures funding for development and delivery of the units.
How does it fit the wider market?
Nikon AM links the award to a US push to accelerate tactical munitions output and cut bottlenecks. Other large-format Nikon systems have gone to HII's Newport News Shipbuilding and to Lockheed Martin in Grand Prairie, Texas. Beehive Industries and Sintavia have also added NXG 600E-class capacity, which the source describes as scarce in the US. Lockheed Martin prints the guidance section and fins of its Mako hypersonic missile.
What it means
The award shows a state buyer paying for machine development rather than waiting for the market to supply it. For European manufacturers, the direct effect is limited, but two-meter L-PBF will draw on the same pool of vendor engineering, qualification expertise and powder supply. Defense-funded large-format capacity may tighten lead times for such machines. Smaller firms are more likely to benefit later through service bureaus and process knowledge than through owning such systems.
Frequently asked questions
What did Nikon AM win?
A US Department of War contract to supply multiple customized L-PBF systems with a two-meter z-height, based on the NXG-E platform.
What will the machines produce?
They are aimed at mid-bodies for the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile and other similar potential applications.
Where will the work take place?
At the Nikon AM Technology Center in Long Beach, California, for prototypes and scaling of critical production capacity.
This summary was written with the help of AI from the linked reports, under the editorial responsibility of Svetozar Kolesar.