The public company Navantia has taken a significant step in advanced manufacturing The company has launched the development of a prototype module for point defense systems on ships at its shipyard in Puerto Real. This module is specifically designed for production using large-format 3D printing and new materials. The initiative combines technological innovation, naval defense, and industrial modernization in a single project.
This development is taking place at the facilities of Advanced Manufacturing Center (CFA) of Puerto RealNavantia is exploring solutions to design and produce lighter, more versatile, and more sustainable structures for naval platforms. The module is designed to be integrated into existing ships and enhance their protection against modern threats such as missiles, aircraft, and unmanned vehicles.
A point defense module designed for ships in service
The new design is geared towards responding to the short-range protection needs of military vessels, what in the naval field is known as point defense systems. These systems act as a second security shield, intervening when a missile, drone, or aircraft has already breached the first defensive line surrounding the platform.
In this context, Navantia seeks to equip the ships with additional capabilities with a modular element that can be installed quickly, without major structural modifications. The solution is specifically designed to reinforce the Spanish Navy's resources, including the future Combat Supply Ship (BAC) to be built at the Ferrol shipyard and the Maritime Action Vessels (BAM) planned for Puerto Real.
The module's main function is to serve as structural support to point defense systems that are located on deck, facilitating their integration and operation in scenarios where threats, especially the unmanned vehicles And missiles of different types have multiplied in recent years. This approach responds to the changing nature of risks at sea and the need to rapidly adapt defensive capabilities.
The prototype under development does not simply reproduce known solutions, but rather It takes advantage of new geometries and configurations. permitted by additive manufacturing, with the aim of improving structural behavior, load distribution and compatibility with different defense equipment within the same module.
In addition to its operational role, the project aims to validate a modular design and production methodology that can be reused in other naval programs, both present and future, extending the scope of innovation beyond this first demonstrator.
Plug and play design and portable structure
One of the distinguishing features of development is its conception under an approach Plug and play, designed for easy installation and use. with minimal intervention on the vessel. This allows for faster integration into ships already in service, reducing dry dock time and minimizing disruption to daily operations.
The structure has been designed as a module self-supporting and portableIt can be stored in arsenals and deployed when needed. This allows the Navy to have units ready for installation as required by operational needs, without having to undertake extensive modifications to each hull.
This modular approach also facilitates the processes of logistics and maintenance made simplerThe fact that the module is a clearly defined unit allows working with specific spare parts, homogeneous inspection protocols and more precise planning of review and upgrade tasks.
In terms of deployment, the design aims for onboard assembly to take place in shortened deadlines and simplified proceduresThis translates into less ship downtime. This speed is especially relevant when platforms need to be adapted to new risk scenarios or technological changes in the defense systems themselves.
The plug and play philosophy also opens the door to, on the same structural basis, different defense teams can be integrated or even complementary sensorsconfiguring module variants depending on the mission or the type of vessel where it is installed.
Large-format additive manufacturing and advanced polymers
The prototype is being produced with the CEAD large format 3D printer Available at the Advanced Manufacturing Center in Puerto Real. This is the first project that Navantia has printed at these facilities with this machine, which the company considers a milestone both for its own activity and for the development of additive manufacturing in the Spanish shipbuilding industry.
For its development, the following have been selected advanced polymers and additive manufacturing techniques that allow the creation of very complex geometries, practically unfeasible or uneconomical through traditional processes such as machining or welding of metal sheets and profiles.
The combination of these materials and the possibilities of large-format 3D printing offers engineers a greater freedom when designing, facilitating the optimization of thicknesses, reinforcements and internal shapes to obtain a more efficient structure from a mechanical and weight point of view.
One of the most outstanding results of the project is the estimated weight reduction of around 40% compared to solutions based on conventional materials and processes. This reduction has a direct impact on consumption, on the ship's performance, and on the ease of handling and assembly of the module itself.
Beyond the prototype, work on advanced polymers and large-scale additive manufacturing allows Navantia open new lines of development for other naval components, both in the military field and, potentially, in civilian applications that benefit from lightweight structures and customized designs.
The role of the Advanced Manufacturing Center and the Coex network
The project is being developed within the framework of the collaboration between Navantia and the Advanced Manufacturing Center (CFA) of Puerto RealFacilities that bring together technologies such as large-format 3D printing, robotics, 3D scanning, and use of drones, and which are located in the La Cabezuela area on land ceded by the shipyard itself.
Within the company structure, the work is led by Navantia Coex Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence, one of the six Coex centers that make up the company's network of excellence. Its mission is to drive the transformation towards new processes and materials, as well as improve product competitiveness through more advanced designs and production technologies.
This center researches and develops initiatives in key technological areas for the naval businessWith the aim of cutting costs, shortening manufacturing times and reducing environmental impact, moving from the experimentation phase to the industrialization of validated solutions.
In the Bay of Cádiz, Navantia also has the Coex of Naval Systems in San Fernandowhere work is done in areas such as cybersecurity, the integration of unmanned vehicles (UXV), advanced communications, multi-domain cloud or hyper-realistic simulation, as well as in European programs linked to holographic capabilities, virtual and augmented reality or autonomous vehicles.
In addition, there is another branch of the Coex Green Energies, focused on marine energy such as floating wind power or green hydrogen, along with applied digitalization projects. This network of centers of excellence forms an ecosystem in which the 3D-printed point defense module is integrated as a practical example of the commitment to innovation.
Objectives: performance, safety, cost and sustainability
The company places at the center of this project the improvement of the defense system's performance and, at the same time, the reinforcement of aspects such as safety, maintenance, the quality of the final product, the life cycle cost, the versatility of use and the overall sustainability of the solution.
In terms of security, the possibility of integrating point defense systems in modules specifically designed for this purpose allows optimize the location and protection of the equipmentalso facilitating access for inspection and repair operations under more controlled conditions.
From a maintenance perspective, the use of additive manufacturing and advanced materials opens up options for reproduce parts, adjust designs, and update settings without the need to completely rebuild the structure, which can significantly shorten downtime and reduce spare parts inventories.
In economic terms, the project aims to demonstrate that these processes allow content savings in production costs and timeespecially when it comes to short series or highly specialized solutions, as is often the case in the European naval military field.
In terms of sustainability, additive manufacturing offers the possibility of optimize material use and minimize wasteAt the same time, the lower weight of the structures theoretically contributes to improving the overall energy consumption of ships and, therefore, their environmental footprint throughout their useful life.
With this 3D printed module prototype, Navantia is consolidating a path towards the Industrialization of lighter, modular and adaptable naval solutions, relying on the network of centers of excellence and the technological capacity of the CFA to respond to European armed forces that demand more flexible defense systems, faster to integrate and aligned with the new challenges of the maritime environment.
