3D Systems Projects Over 20% Revenue Growth in Aerospace & Defense by 2026
3D Systems announced significant momentum in its Aerospace & Defense business, including robust revenue growth projections, a major U.S. facility expansion, and key technological advancements. These initiatives position the company to capitalize on rising demand for secure, U.S.-based manufacturing in national security and space applications-further supported by recent provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 that restrict foreign-sourced 3D printing systems for Department of Defense programs, creating additional tailwinds for domestic providers. Complementary global operations continue to support international customers valuing regional production and worldwide expertise-driving sustained revenue growth, margin expansion, and shareholder value. Key Highlights: Strong Revenue Trajectory: The A&D business is forecasted to have grown over 15% in 2025, accelerating to more than 20% in 2026. Revenue from production printing systems and custom metal parts-core recurring elements of the business-is expected to exceed $35 million in 2026, driven by increasing adoption in high-reliability defense and space programs, with further upside from NDAA-related demand shifts. Projected Business Leadership: After several years of sustained double-digit growth, A&D is on track to become 3D Systems' largest and fastest-growing industrial business in 2026, fueled by rising demand across crewed/uncrewed aircraft, naval platforms, defense systems, rocket propulsion, and satellite systems. Strategic Capacity Expansion: 3D Systems is adding up to 80,000 square feet to its Littleton, Colo., facility, significantly enhancing its A&D Application Center of Excellence. This phased investment expands capacity for application development, process qualification, validation, and production-scale manufacturing-supporting accelerated innovation and strengthened domestic supply chain resilience. Fully Qualified Production Scaling: The Littleton facility has been selected for certification under the America Makes JAQS-SQ framework. This effort, under the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining, in collaboration with the National Institute for Aviation Research aims to scale defense industrial base capabilities for qualified additive manufacturing production, enabling accelerated qualification and deployment of additively manufactured defense components. This leverages the company's extensive Littleton quality infrastructure established through its medical technology business, where high-performance metal implants for patients have been manufactured over many years, such as titanium implants created on the DMP 350 system. Next-Generation Metal Printing Platform: The company is progressing on schedule in its multi-phase, $18.5M U.S. Air Force-sponsored program to develop next-generation laser powder-bed fusion technologies for large format, high-efficiency metal part production. These technologies are essential for the application of metal 3D printing to an expanding range of U.S. defense systems. Key program milestones remain on track through 2027. Unique Fully-Domestic U.S. Ecosystem: When completed in 2027, 3D Systems will stand alone as the only U.S. provider of a complete, end-to-end metal additive manufacturing ecosystem entirely onshore for large-frame metal printing systems encompassing system design next-generation printer manufacturing, and certified metal parts production with advanced application development. This uniquely positions the company to meet growing demand for secure domestic supply chains. Complementary Global Capabilities: Paralleling the company's U.S. A&D infrastructure, European operations provide aerospace-focused design and application expertise in Leuven, Belgium, and metal printer production in Riom, France-directly supporting European, Korean, Japanese, and other international A&D customers. In addition, the NAMI joint venture in Saudi Arabia-now the Kingdom's first AS/EN 9100-certified additive manufacturing provider-is advancing localized A&D solutions, including a collaboration with Lockheed Martin to qualify and manufacture mission-critical components within the Kingdom for global markets.
