UK Ministry of Defence Teams With Babcock to Help Ukraine 3D Print Military Spare Parts in the Field

The UK Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Babcock  to develop a concept that will enable Ukrainian forces to produce spare parts using 3D printing in the field.

The project will be a collaboration between Babcock and British company QinetiQ.

Together, they will create digital designs and automated design files for printing essential components on demand.

The technology will also involve reengineering, allowing the restoration of old parts by analyzing their functionality and structure, which will then be reproduced in digital form as required by the user.

The initiative aims to help Ukrainian forces produce the parts they need in a timely manner and in critical situations.

“We aim to give Ukraine the capability to recreate the military parts that they need, where and when it really matters. This innovation builds on our engineering expertise and technology capability, giving us further opportunities to optimise 3D printing,” said CEO of Babcock’s Land Sector Tom Newman.

In November 2024, Babcock delivered the first batch of 3D-printed spare parts to the British Army as part of the TAMPA program. These parts have been used for the repair of various military vehicles, including spare parts for the British Army’s L118 towed howitzers, which require regular maintenance.

The program will also produce components for Challenger 2 tanks and other armored vehicles.

The goal of the initiative is to enable the British Armed Forces to obtain the parts they need quickly, reduce manufacturing costs, and ensure flexible production capabilities both at home and during overseas operations.

Also Babcock secured a three-year contract in December 2023 to support and maintain two Ukrainian Navy minesweepers, Cherkasy and Chernihiv. The company established Babcock Ukraine LLC and opened an office in the country, where a dedicated team will focus on supporting Ukrainian clients and partners.

Additionally, Babcock is involved in the repair of British-made land vehicles for the Ukrainian military.