Keith Hamilton, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) chief engineer and assistant commander for planning, design, and construction, testified March 11 before the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies.
During his testimony, Hamilton highlighted how NAVFAC is leveraging innovative construction approaches to best meet warfighter needs today while exploring how new technologies, materials, and methods can be applied to make military construction for future projects.
“We are continuously collaborating with industry to identify and implement new innovative infrastructure solutions and to apply industry best practices that help make our US war fighters more lethal, adaptable, effective and resilient,” said Hamilton. “NAVFAC is actively testing and employing innovative technologies, materials and methods for design and construction, today, and we are leaning forward to increase collaboration with industry, academia and other government partners to identify and leverage future opportunities.”
Hamilton highlighted several U.S. Navy and U.S. Marines Corps military construction projects that are currently under design or construction using innovative material.
In addition to 3-D printing, Hamilton said industrialized construction is ideally suited to the Marine Corps Barracks [2030] program, calling it an opportunity to create standard modular designs. “Modules can be fabricated in a manufacturing environment where you have the workforce, you have all the industrialized computerized machinery, and you send those modules out to be installed on the site,” he said.
Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command is the naval shore facilities, base operating support, and expeditionary engineering systems command that delivers life-cycle technical and acquisition solutions aligned to fleet and Marine Corps priorities.