By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
The planned establishment of a 3D printing facility on Guam is envisioned to position the island as a manufacturing and training hub for Navy operators in the region. At the same time, it is designed to support Washington’s commitments to the AUKUS treaty, which seeks the integration of security and defense-related technology, industrial bases and supply chains of Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The facility for 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is expected to be fully operational in three years, according to Neal Orringer, president of Applied Science & Technology Research Organization of America, or ASTRO America.
The facility’s operations will include the education, manufacturing, post-processing, testing and evaluation capabilities necessary to produce finished products.
ASTRO—a public policy think tank and research institute focused on defense manufacturing technology— spearheads the Guam Additive Materials & Manufacturing Accelerator, also known as the GAMMA initiative. The project is “focused on advancing U.S. national security and diversifying Guam's economy,” Orringer said.
The first phase of the GAMMA project, which is expected to begin by the end of the year, involves the construction of a satellite campus proposed to be built at the University of Guam. “Our plan is to begin developing temporary space for technology and classrooms to come online within six to eight months while the permanent facility is built over the next two years,” Orringer said.
Based on the GAMMA implementation plan prepared by ASTRO and released in June, the facility would require a 20,000-sq.ft. building with manufacturing, lab, classroom, conference room and office space. It is projected to cost $38 million.
Orringer said the government of Guam, through the Government Economic Development Authority, has committed to fund the construction of both the temporary and permanent GAMMA facilities, which will become UOG assets. He said ASTRO is coordinating the project with UOG, GEDA, Guam Community College and the Colorado School of Mines, a leading engineering university.
ASTRO is working with the Navy and local partners to design the higher education and technology laboratory to support the development of manufacturing capabilities. However, Orringer said, the group will not be involved in the contractual component of building construction.
“This effort will create new cutting-edge STEM jobs in Guam,” Orringer said.
According to the implementation plan, the facility is anticipated to generate 85 to 100 jobs.
“Our goal is to maximize the hiring of local residents of Guam. Many of the GAMMA positions will require advanced knowledge and expertise in engineering and additive manufacturing and Guam currently has a limited pool of potential applicants,” Orringer said. “Consequently, major components of Phase 0 and Phase 1 of the GAMMA plan involve training and education opportunities to expand the potential for local hiring.”
Commencing the development of a talent pipeline, five Guam students are currently taking a 16-week program at the Navy's advanced manufacturing training center in Virginia and will later spend two more weeks at the Colorado School of Mines.
“Many of the initial highly technical positions will necessarily need to be filled by hires (from the U.S. mainland,)” Orringer said. “In these cases, ASTRO intends to prioritize hiring personnel who have interest in establishing permanent, long-term roots in Guam.”
The GAMMA project is designed to support the sustainment requirements of U.S. national defense platforms such as maritime and aircraft.
According to ASTRO’s document, establishing a 3D printing facility on Guam would address the challenges faced by the Naval Sea Systems Command in acquiring parts and materials for submarine maintenance in the region. Parts are not in inventory when needed by the Navy’s public shipyards, resulting in significant delays in maintenance service.
“Additive manufacturing has the potential to produce parts on-demand at the point of need, consolidating supply chains, cutting lead times and significantly reducing logistical footprints,” the implementation document said.
Orringer noted that Guam’s geographic location makes it an essential component of the United States trilateral agreement with the UK and Australia, or AUKUS.
Formed in September 2021, AUKUS seeks to strengthen and support each country’s security and defense interests. On March 13, 2023, AUKUS announced an optimal pathway to produce a nuclear-powered submarine capability in Australia “at the earliest point while ensuring all three partners maintain the highest non-proliferation standards.”
According to the ASTRO document, “A concerted investment of time and resources are needed to establish an AUKUS-oriented submarine industrial base to meet production needs, including skilled labor, advanced manufacturing machinery and qualified testing and evaluation.”
“GAMMA also has the potential to serve as a hub in the Indo-Pacific for educating and training members of the Australian industrial base and perhaps personnel that support the Royal Australian Navy," Orringer said.
While the GAMMA initiative is currently focused on meeting the Navy’s needs, the ASTRO president said the goal is to also expand to other markets, “using these new capabilities to provide replacement parts for other industries, including aviation and automotive maintenance and repair.”
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