Nikon Wins DoD Contract to 3D-Print Tomahawk Missile Mid-Bodies

Nikon Advanced Manufacturing has secured a federal award from the U.S. Department of Defense — referred to in one source as the Department of War (DOW) — to develop and deliver multiple customized laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing systems for producing mid-bodies of the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM). The award, announced October 22, 2026, was funded through the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program and issued under the Cornerstone Other Transaction Authority (COTA), the department's vehicle for rapidly funding highly strategic initiatives for the defense industrial base and supply chains. The machines feature a two-meter z-height build envelope and are based on the Nikon SLM Solutions NXG-E platform, the company's flagship large-format metal AM system. Work will be executed at the Nikon AM Technology Center in Long Beach, California.

The Long Beach facility houses Nikon AM's portfolio of L-PBF equipment alongside in-house engineering, production, laboratory, and qualification assets, all operating under what the company describes as ultra-secure, stringent manufacturing requirements supporting the aerospace and defense industries. According to Hamid Zarringhalam, General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of Nikon Advanced Manufacturing, "Nikon AM is deeply committed to delivering the vital manufacturing capabilities required to grow and strengthen the defense industrial base for the United States and our allies. We are proud to leverage our company's esteemed history of innovation and ability to scale to provide advanced manufacturing technology to expand production capacity of TLAM and other critical systems with speed." The systems will be used to manufacture prototypes and scale critical production capacity for TLAM mid-bodies and other similar potential applications.

From a procurement standpoint, this award signals several important dynamics. First, the use of the IBAS program and Cornerstone OTA demonstrates the department's continued preference for flexible, rapid-funding vehicles to address industrial-base gaps rather than traditional competitive solicitations. Cornerstone OTA is specifically designed to accelerate strategic initiatives for the defense industrial base and supply chains, allowing the government to move quickly with vetted partners. Second, the award reflects a well-recognized urgency to accelerate tactical munitions production and strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base. These challenges present a significant opportunity to leverage metal additive manufacturing capabilities to reduce production bottlenecks, expand domestic manufacturing capacity, and enable agile, scalable, and resilient defense supply chains. Third, the application of large-format metal AM to missile production — specifically the two-meter build height requirement for Tomahawk mid-bodies — indicates growing demand for advanced manufacturing capacity within the defense industrial base that traditional subtractive manufacturing may not efficiently satisfy.

Critically, the signals disclose no contract value, delivery schedule, or open solicitation. This means the award is best characterized as an industrial-base investment rather than a currently identified bidding opportunity. Companies supplying metal additive-manufacturing equipment, materials, engineering services, or production support should assess how their capabilities align with similar defense industrial-base needs, but no specific subcontracting opportunity is identified in these reports. The absence of a published value or delivery schedule limits the ability to estimate the scale or timing of the program. For procurement teams and capture professionals, this award underscores the importance of monitoring IBAS and Cornerstone OTA activities as leading indicators of future production and supply chain investments, as well as the strategic value of domestic advanced manufacturing capacity in missile and munitions production. The relationship between Nikon Advanced Manufacturing and SLM Solutions — now part of the Nikon group — also highlights consolidation trends in the additive manufacturing sector serving defense customers.

• Nikon Advanced Manufacturing received a DoD award announced October 22, 2026, for customized laser powder bed fusion systems to produce Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) mid-bodies.
• The award was funded through the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program and issued under the Cornerstone Other Transaction Authority (COTA).
• The machines are based on the Nikon SLM Solutions NXG-E large-format platform with a two-meter z-height build capacity, specially developed for the program.
• Work will be performed at the Nikon AM Technology Center in Long Beach, California, using L-PBF equipment alongside in-house engineering, production, laboratory, and qualification assets.
• The systems will be used to manufacture prototypes and scale critical production capacity for TLAM and other similar potential applications.
• No contract value, delivery schedule, or open solicitation was disclosed, limiting the ability to estimate program scale or timing.
• The award reflects DoD urgency to accelerate tactical munitions production, reduce production bottlenecks, and expand domestic manufacturing capacity.
• Companies in metal AM equipment, materials, engineering, or production support should assess alignment with similar defense industrial-base needs, though no specific subcontracting opportunity is identified.
• The use of IBAS and Cornerstone OTA signals continued DoD preference for flexible, rapid-funding vehicles for strategic industrial-base investments.