Navy Develops 3D-Printed Bomb Disposal Device
NAVSEA says the device mechanically immobilizes internal munition components to reduce accidental detonation risk during handling.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Military
The U.S. Navy announced on October 30, 2026, a 3D-printed device that mechanically secures internal munition components during bomb disposal. Developed at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona Division, the device replaces conventional epoxy or plaster methods, and a provisional patent application has been filed in the United States.
Why it matters
The device aims to reduce the risk of accidental detonation when unexploded ordnance is handled, transported, or cleared. Its inventor drew on direct experience clearing unexploded ordnance in Kuwait and Iraq.
The Navy's announcement describes a qualitative mechanical design with no performance metrics published, and the source does not provide test data comparing it with epoxy or plaster methods. Field validation results and deployment figures have not been disclosed.
The players
Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA)
NAVSEA is the Navy command responsible for developing, buying, and maintaining ships, submarines, and combat systems, and it announced the device.
Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona Division
The Corona Division is a Navy research and engineering facility in California that developed the device.
Samuel Larter
Larter is an engineering technician who served as an EOD technician during the 1991 Gulf War and co-designed the device.
Darren Mansoor
Mansoor is an engineer who translated the concept into a design optimized for 3D-printing manufacturability.
The details
Engineering technician Samuel Larter and engineer Darren Mansoor designed the device, which mechanically secures munition components to prevent movement during handling, clearing, and transport. Larter, who served as an EOD technician during the 1991 Gulf War, conceived the idea from his experience clearing unexploded ordnance in Kuwait and Iraq.
Timeline
1991: Larter serves as an EOD technician during Gulf War operations.
2025: Larter and Mansoor receive the NAVSEA Safety Excellence Award.
October 30, 2026: NAVSEA announces the device's development.
Military Context
The device follows from the Navy's post-1991 ordnance clearance work in Kuwait and Iraq, where EOD technicians handled large volumes of unexploded munitions. Its 3D-printed design marks a departure from the epoxy and plaster methods long used to secure munition components.
The device is not yet available to the public, and the provisional patent filing means licensing or collaboration arrangements with defense firms may come later. Readers interested in its development can follow NAVSEA announcements for future updates.
The takeaway
Lessons from frontline ordnance work can drive safer engineering choices, and this device shows how practical field experience can shape new military technology. Its design principle could extend to other munition types, which makes it worth watching as development continues.
Further reading
For related coverage, see the Military section.
