Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro joined state and local government officials and defense industry partners in the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing and Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence Summit on Wednesday to highlight workforce and technology improvements across the submarine industrial base.
The third annual event in Danville, Virginia, focused on the U.S. Navy’s plan to construct one Columbia-class submarine and two Virginia-class submarines by fiscal year 2026 in response to fleet requirements, Naval Sea Systems Command said Thursday.
Commenting on the AM CoE’s launch anniversary, Del Toro, a 2023 Wash100 awardee, said, “By bringing together partners to work collaboratively on a critical mission, the COE serves as an example of the teamwork that we need to maintain our technological edge by innovating, and is already supporting the growth of the additive manufacturing industry in this region.”
Meanwhile, ATDM has reportedly been supporting the development of a skilled workforce through advanced manufacturing technology training and qualifications. Over 280 people have completed the four-month rapid training program to date.
A formal groundbreaking ceremony for the ATDM Regional Training Center also occurred at the summit. The upcoming facility will host dedicated SIB workforce training as well as the infrastructure and equipment needed for the effort.