Expeditionary 3D Concrete Printing with Advanced Camouflage Capabilities

The ability to rapidly deploy and construct hardened structures with camouflage architectures and designs is an operational imperative for the Agile Combat Employment scheme of maneuver, as codified by Gen CQ Brown Jr. in AF Doctrine 1-21 on 23 August 2022. To enhance the U.S. Air Force's agility and security, the integration of additive manufacturing (AM) technologies with features such as camouflage, concealment, deception, and hardening is essential. This capability serves to confound adversary attacks and protect personnel, equipment, vehicles, and aircraft against physical threats. Pikus 3D LLC (Pikus) seeks to enhance the AFÆs ability to integrate and operationalize cutting-edge AM capabilities through its stateside plant (figure 1) and deployable 3D concrete robot and mortar system with camouflage capabilities ¢ the focus of this Phase I effort. In this Phase I, Pikus will conduct a feasibility study in partnership with Mississippi State UniversityÆs Department of Construction Science to adapt, modify, and integrate our stateside and deployable platform for AF-specific 3DCP camouflage requirements; a capability that we believe will propel the AFÆs ability to execute on the operational imperative for resilient basing. In doing so, Pikus will conduct customer discovery with the Air Force Civil Engineering Center (AFCEC), Red Horse, and Prime BEEF personnel to determine customer requirements and end-user pain points. Additionally, Pikus will determine the best technical and programmatic approach to demonstrate the capability for the Phase II prototype follow-on effort.