Nikon Advanced Manufacturing (Nikon AM) has been awarded a Department of War contract to deploy multiple two-metre Z-height Nikon SLM Solutions laser powder bed fusion systems, built on the large-format NXG-E platform, for production of Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) mid-bodies and “other similar potential applications.”
The machines go into the Nikon AM Technology Center in Long Beach, California, where the company says it will use the equipment alongside its in-house engineering, production, laboratory and qualification capacity to build prototypes and scale output.
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Build Z-height | 2 metres |
| Platform | Nikon SLM Solutions NXG-E |
| Site | Long Beach, California |
| Buyer | Department of War |
Nikon AM frames the deal around “accelerating tactical munitions production” and “strengthening the US defence industrial base.”
No contract value, unit count, or delivery timeline has been published. The company has not said how many NXG-E systems will be installed, what qualification standard the mid-bodies must meet, or when production is expected to start. Zarringhalam’s quote promises to “expand production capacity of TLAM and other critical systems with speed,” without a figure attached to either word.