U.S. Navy Tests Firestorm FPV Drone Factory Aboard USS Essex Amphibious Ship for At-Sea Production.

Firestorm Labs and U.S. service members built 12 Squall FPV drones aboard USS Essex while the warship sailed to Hawaii for RIMPAC 2026. The demonstration showed how deployed naval forces could manufacture light unmanned aircraft and repair parts without waiting for shore-based resupply.

Firestorm’s containerized xCell microfactory produced more than 1,000 polymer components during a two-week deployment aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, including parts used to assemble the Squall drones. Personnel continued manufacturing in seas reported at up to 12 feet, then flew the completed aircraft as adversary drones during a counter-unmanned aircraft exercise at Hawaii’s Makua Military Reservation.

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During the transit, the platform printed more than 1,000 items. Some were used to produce the 12 Squall drones, while others supported mechanical testing and repairs required by the crew. Service members took part in both manufacturing and assembly (Picture source: US DoD/Firestorm Labs)

In a publication released on August 5, 2026, Firestorm Labs stated that the activity formed part of the Naval Postgraduate School Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing Research and Education distributed advanced manufacturing network. FLEETWERX facilitated the operation aboard USS Essex during its voyage to RIMPAC. Production continued in seas with waves reaching 12 feet, or about 3.7 meters, exposing personnel and equipment to the movement and environmental constraints of a ship underway.

The xCell is a transportable microfactory installed inside a standardized container. It combines additive manufacturing equipment, digital preparation tools, and assembly stations. This configuration allows the production capability to move between a ship, a forward base, or an expeditionary position without requiring a permanent workshop. The system converts digital files, printing materials, and stored subsystems into components that can be assembled for operational use.

During the transit, the platform printed more than 1,000 items. Some were used to produce the 12 Squall drones, while others supported mechanical testing and repairs required by the crew. Service members took part in both manufacturing and assembly. The trial therefore covered a complete process that included model preparation, printing, part inspection, electronics integration, and drone operation. The Squall is a light electric FPV drone built around a largely printable airframe. This design allows a fuselage section, arm or payload mount to be replaced without discarding the entire aircraft. Batteries, motors, flight controllers, cameras, and radio links remain stored aboard as kits. These subsystems occupy less space than complete drones and can be integrated into airframes produced according to mission demand.

After arrival in Hawaii, the Squall drones assembled during the voyage were used as adversary aircraft in a counter-UAS exercise. This use case illustrates the practical role of shipboard manufacturing. USS Essex not only transported targets prepared ashore. It produced them during transit and made them available to participating units on arrival, without requiring an additional air or sealift movement.

An amphibious assault ship is well suited to this type of arrangement. USS Essex already provides a flight deck, command facilities, workshops, storage space and communications systems for aviation and amphibious operations. Adding xCell introduces a production function to that existing architecture. The ship can therefore combine transport, aviation support, logistics and the manufacture of expendable unmanned systems.

During an amphibious operation, FPV drones could be produced during the approach phase and issued to Marines before or after landing. They could be used to survey a beach, monitor an advance route, inspect a structure, search for a firing position or assess the effects of an engagement. Their low cost also makes them suitable for missions in exposed areas where the loss of a larger unmanned aircraft would be harder to accept.

With an appropriate payload, the same type of drone could provide a short-range strike option against a light vehicle, a fortified position or an opposing team identified by a forward unit. Real-time control allows the operator to adjust the flight path until impact, fly at low altitude and approach from a masked direction. Performance would still depend on battery endurance, radio-link quality and the level of electronic interference.

For the US Navy and Marine Corps, the main operational benefit is the shorter interval between the identification of a requirement and the availability of the system. A ship can manufacture drones during transit, configure them for a specific task and transfer them directly to deployed forces. It can also replace some aircraft lost through accidents, jamming or enemy action without waiting for delivery from a rear-area base.

This capability supports the pace of amphibious operations by replenishing short-range reconnaissance assets, training targets and some light strike systems from compact stocks of electronics and raw material. USS Essex is therefore less constrained by the number of complete drones loaded before departure. It can convert stored components into aircraft adapted to the tactical situation.

Shipboard manufacturing does not remove the need for logistics because motors, batteries, sensors and communications equipment still require resupply. It does, however, change the composition of onboard stocks and reduce the need to transport complete airframes. For US forces, the practical effect is the ability to produce, repair and reconfigure FPV drones from an amphibious platform already positioned near the units that will use them.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in Security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.

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