--- title: "Speed over the assembly line: how Lockheed Martin printed a military drone in a year" description: "Lockheed Martin has made a breakthrough in defense: the military drone Replicator was created in a year thanks to 3D printing. Investments in the startup Divergent allowed them to abandon assembly lines and accelerate production many times over. 🚀🛩ī¸" date: 2026-06-12T15:16:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/lockheed-martin-speed-over-assembly-line-military-drone-replicator tags: [] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Speed over the assembly line: how Lockheed Martin printed a military drone in a year ![Lockheed Martin and Divergent Aerospace engineers inspect a large-scale 3D-printed military drone fuselage, showcasing rapid production capabilities](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/12/lockheed-martin-3d-pechat-voenny-dron-replicator/lockheed-martin-3d-pechat-voenny-dron-replicator-1.webp) In the world of the defense industry, where the development of new systems traditionally takes years, a technological shift has occurred. The American giant Lockheed Martin has reduced the development cycle of a combat unmanned aerial vehicle from several years to twelve months. The new device, named Replicator, became the first result of applying radically new production methods, allowing it to bypass classic assembly lines and complex logistics chains. ### Investing in speed The key to acceleration was a strategic investment by Lockheed Martin of $25 million. The funds were directed to the California startup Divergent Technologies. It was their technology that made it possible to create an autonomous device with a wingspan of 2.7 meters in record time. The Replicator project demonstrates how the integration of advanced production methods changes the approach to creating military equipment. ### Digital revolution in production The main tool of transformation was the Digital Adaptive Production System (DAPS). It combined the stages of design, engineering analysis, printing, and quality control into a single digital flow. This made it possible to eliminate gaps between the design bureau and the workshop: - **Single digital environment:** Any change in the computer model — whether it be the size of a part or the material specification — instantly recalculates loads and updates production tasks. - **Layer-by-layer printing:** Instead of long-term mechanical metal processing or casting, complex fuselage components are formed layer by layer directly from digital files. - **Weight optimization:** Additive technologies allow the creation of geometric shapes that are inaccessible to traditional machines. This makes the drone components simultaneously lighter, stronger, and more aerodynamic. ### The legacy of Skunk Works The development was carried out by the famous Skunk Works division. Since 1943, legendary projects have been created here: the U-2 and SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft, as well as the first stealth fighters F-117 and F-22 Raptor. The traditional model of the division's work is based on small groups of specialists without unnecessary corporate bureaucracy. The combination of this flexible management model with Divergent technologies allowed the team to release, test, and make changes to parts within days, not months. If redrawing a blueprint used to take weeks, the feedback cycle has now been reduced to a minimum. ### Future strategy Lockheed Martin management emphasizes that the Replicator project is currently at the research stage and is not a confirmed contract for mass production. The main goal is to refine flexibility and speed of response to new threats. This step fits into the corporation's broader strategy of acquiring stakes in promising startups. In addition to Divergent, the company is investing in the autonomous boat manufacturer Saildrone and the drone interception system developer Fortem Technologies.