PATUXENT RIVER, MD — A multi-command Navy collaboration has produced a 3D-printed version of the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System visor, delivering significant cost savings and faster production for aircrew survival equipment training at Naval Air Systems Command headquarters in Southern Maryland.
The Naval Aviation Training Systems and Ranges Program Office (PMA-205), Naval Education and Training Command, Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT), and Commander, Naval Air Forces training and readiness office (CNAF N7) partnered on the initiative. The effort uses additive manufacturing to address annual training needs for the aircrew survival equipmentman rating while aligning with goals to improve readiness and lower lifecycle costs.
Credit: U.S. Navy
Capt. Jonathan Schiffelbein, PMA-205 program manager, stated, “This effort is a prime example of how collaboration and innovation across commands can deliver real results for the fleet. By leveraging additive manufacturing, our teams not only met critical training requirements but also advanced readiness and cut lifecycle costs, directly supporting our Sailors and the mission.”
The legacy JHMCS visor carried a unit cost of $870 and required multi-year procurement timelines, creating delays in curriculum delivery and fleet sustainment. CNATT projected a need for 40 visors each year, which the traditional supply chain could not support efficiently.
The team developed a prototype visor using Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene filament through 3D printing. The design achieved required standards for dimensional accuracy, smooth integration with the Helmet Display Unit, and familiar trimming characteristics. The new approach reduces unit costs by 65 percent and shortens delivery from years to weeks.
A complete technical data package supports replication at fleet intermediate-level maintenance print sites, establishing a scalable, long-term supply solution.
Schiffelbein added, “This initiative represents more than just a cost reduction. It is a proactive investment in agility, instructional fidelity and long-term readiness.”
CNATT Commander Capt. Michael Polito emphasized the project’s value to the fleet, stating, “This project is the epitome of what happens when we collaborate to provide aviation technical training solutions that will ultimately lead to positive outcomes in the fleet.”
The breakthrough supports Ready Relevant Learning objectives and enhances pilot performance and survivability through improved training tools. Located at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in St. Mary’s County, NAVAIR serves as the Navy’s primary aircraft research, development, test, and evaluation center, making it a key hub for such innovations in Southern Maryland. The initiative demonstrates how additive manufacturing can resolve supply constraints for critical aviation equipment, benefiting aircrew training programs that extend across naval aviation communities nationwide.