As part of the strategic realignment of its infrastructure concepts, the US Air Force is increasingly relying on additive manufacturing. With the so-called Expeditionary 3D Concrete Printer, the 175th Civil Engineer Squadron in Maryland is testing a system for building concrete-based structures under near-mission conditions. The aim is to provide construction facilities in unsafe areas of operation more quickly, flexibly and with fewer resources.
The system is based on a robot-assisted concrete printing process that can be operated by just three people. Conventional concrete is used – a globally available building material with high compressive strength and thermal inertia. In addition to the low manpower requirement, the ability to create curved wall profiles is one of the key advantages.
“The idea came from carefully considering the role of Air Force Civil Engineers in future conflicts,” Maj. Brian Vickers, Deputy Base Civil Engineer and project manager for the Expeditionary 3D Concrete Printer, explained. “The Air Force Civil Engineer enterprise has been largely focused on base maintenance and sustainment for over a decade, and our ability to rapidly construct and repair austere airfields and infrastructure on a large scale will likely be strained in future conflicts.”
The technical basis comes from X-Hab 3D, an industrial partner that modified the commercial printer unit for military requirements together with the National Guard. The machine was redesigned in terms of robustness, transportability and control. Initial tests showed that the technology is basically ready for use, but still needs to be adapted to mobile requirements.
“Our team was trained to use the 3D Concrete Printer in just four days—a remarkably fast timeline for such a revolutionary technology,” Vickers emphasized. “If adopted, this capability could extend beyond RED HORSE (Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron of Engineers) units to PRIME BEEF (Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force) units, significantly expanding the Air Force Civil Engineer enterprise’s construction and repair capabilities.”
In the future, the US Air Force plans to use the technology not only for temporary shelters, but also for the construction of permanent infrastructure such as accommodation or workshops. In parallel, studies are being carried out on local material extraction in order to be able to produce under limited logistical conditions. The next milestone is the printing of a complete building to house the printing unit itself. In the long term, such structures could replace conventional tent systems in foreign missions.
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