Additive Manufacturing and the Maritime Industrial Base
ASC presents a deep conversation on Additive Manufacturing and the Maritime Industrial Base.
The Navy is deploying $21 billion to fix its maritime industrial base, and with 182 additive manufacturing parts approved in 2025 alone to cut submarine and ship delays, printed components are moving onto the fleet critical path. Where is additive manufacturing already breaking casting and forging bottlenecks, what does it take to get parts certified, and what does it mean for suppliers and investors? Join the Abelian Security Council for a candid conversation with the former head of the Navy's submarine and maritime industrial base portfolios on how additive manufacturing could reshape naval shipbuilding.
On the table
Where it's working: how additive manufacturing is already being used across shipbuilding, maintenance, and the supply chain
Breaking bottlenecks: which long-lead parts and materials additive could take off the critical path, and which it can't
Qualification and certification: what it takes to get printed parts approved for use on submarines and surface ships
Scaling the base: workforce, infrastructure, and capital needs, and where industrial base investment dollars are going
New entrants: where manufacturers and technology companies can plug in, and what the Navy is looking for from them
Speaker
Matthew Sermon spent more than 25 years in Navy acquisition, most recently as Executive Director of the Direct Reporting Program Manager (DRPM) for Submarines, where he oversaw more than $250 billion in shipbuilding, maintenance, and systems programs across an organization of more than 1,400 people and served as a key shipbuilding advisor to the Deputy Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy.
As Program Manager for the Maritime Industrial Base, he led the Navy's $21 billion industrial base revitalization initiative across more than 1,300 projects spanning manufacturing technology, workforce, infrastructure, and supply chain. He retired as a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES).
Today Matt advises manufacturers, technology companies, and investors in the maritime and defense industrial base through his firm, Sea Change Soundings.
Moderator: Owen Davies, CEO of the ASC
Submit questions for Matt when you register and no later than Friday, December 4. We'll do our best to make sure submitted questions are answered, but we can't guarantee every question will be covered.
Good to know
Admission is subject to pre-qualification criteria.
Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Attendees remain anonymous, and the session is held under the Chatham House rule.
A recording and transcript will not be available after the event.
Speakers participate in their capacity as private citizens. None of the views expressed are endorsed by political organizations, government, military, or current and prior employers. Events are for informational purposes only. Nothing discussed is investment advice, an offer, or a solicitation.