US Navy 3D prints $1,000 part to replace $200,000 submarine modification

A USS Pasadena crew launched a Blueye X3 underwater drone from a flooded torpedo tube. The watertight enclosure was 3D printed on a Formlabs Form 4L with Rigid 10K resin for under $1,000, replacing a fiber optic penetrator modification that costs about $200,000 per boat.

• The trial ran on August 24, 2026 aboard the Los Angeles-class USS Pasadena
• The enclosure was printed on a Formlabs Form 4L with Rigid 10K resin for under $1,000
• The fiber optic penetrator alternative costs about $200,000 per submarine
• The Navy is drafting an ROV Personnel Qualification Standard card for routine use