'It's basically an expeditionary 3D printer'

Courtesy Photo | A render of Expeditionary Manufacturing Cell or xCell which is capable of mass-producing unmanned aerial systems. Theoretically, xCell can be hidden in plain sight while running on local resources to 3-D print items on the battle field. (Courtesy photo from Firestorm)  

CAMP MURRAY', WA, UNITED STATES

11.14.2023

Story by Airman Jordaan Kvale 

194th Wing

CAMP MURRAY, WASH. -- The Air National Guard and Air Force Special Operations Command partnered with a San Diego-based company in November 2023 to create an expeditionary assembly unit capable of mass-producing unmanned aerial systems.
The innovation project is called Expeditionary Manufacturing Cell or xCell.

“It’s basically an expeditionary 3D Printer,” said Master Sgt. Richard Stone, 194th Air Support Operations Group innovation officer. “The basis of the technology is … it’s about the size of a [shipping container] and it can print out, for this specific use case, drones.”

Fairly large drones at that, Stone estimated that they weigh 25 to 50 pounds.

“Inside this [shipping container], it’ll print out all the components,” said Stone “But then you have what’s called RPA, which is robotic process [automation.]”

xCell prints the individual pieces and then uses RPA to assemble the major components of the drone.

“The user can take these components and, almost like Legos, put them together,” said Stone. “So if you want a longer drone with a specific payload, you can take those components and put them together and the computer will tell you, ‘This is where the wings go and this is where the center of gravity should be.”

Stone heard about xCell from an innovation officer at the 3rd ASOG in Fort Hood, Texas. They told him all about the drones that it can build. Stone was not initially interested until he heard about the 3D printer which created the drones.

“Because of the advances in additive manufacturing, which is the fancy way of saying 3D printing, you can actually print explosives. You can make a drone that's fully explosive or partially explosive, you can print ammunition, you can print whatever.”

How can xCell be applicable and useful to the 194th Wing?

“We saw this technology had a lot of applications not only for the ASOG but for the wing, specifically for the state partnership program,” said Stone.

The Washington Air National Guard has a partnership with Malasia and Thailand to conduct joint security operations and exercises. Stone envisions having an xCell in either country would be beneficial, he said.

“So let's say we send out the [tactical air control party] and the [communications] guys to Thailand, and they break an antenna,” said Stone. “They can print out a new antenna right there on the spot.”

The xCell project falls right in line with National Defense Strategy and Agile Combat Employment doctrine. ACE shifts operations from centralized physical infrastructures to a network of smaller dispersed locations. This means minimizing dependence on U.S. resources.

Theoretically, xCell can be set up anywhere anytime. It can be hidden in plain sight while running on local resources. This would not only provide the ACE personnel options for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, but also affordable mass.

“Affordable Mass at the tactical edge will allow the 194th ASOG to engage high value targets at a fraction of the cost of a traditional munition without endangering aircrew,” said Stone.

So how does the 194th ASOG contribute to xCell?

“The 194th ASOG worked with the Air National Guard’s ARCWERX to help secure additional funding for the xCell program,” said Stone.

ARCWERX is an innovation program that provides additional funding for companies to work on similar projects.

Stone continued, “Our role in this is a combination of supporting as an end user and providing feedback from an operational perspective of what we need to see or what would benefit the actual people that are going to employ the drones.”

• Date Taken: 11.14.2023
• Date Posted: 02.29.2024 12:28
• Story ID: 464611
• Location: CAMP MURRAY', WA, US