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U.S. Army, Korean Navy ramp up partnership in sustainment modernization

Published: 02 Apr. 2026, 16:36

U.S. troops from the 2nd Infantry Division, Eighth Army, are briefed on the use of 3-D printers by Korean Navy service members on March 25, in this photo taken from the Pentagon's Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Personnel from the U.S. Army based in Korea visited the Korean Navy's maintenance depot last week as part of their cooperation to promote sustainment modernization, the Eighth Army said Thursday.

On March 25, officials from the 2nd Infantry Division and the Materiel Support Command-Korea visited the Navy's facility to explore opportunities for future collaboration, according to a press release.

During the visit, they toured manufacturing labs for advanced metal and nonmetal additives.

The Korean naval forces cited the use of metal 3-D printing to repair high-cost components on front-line destroyers as an example of a successful system that significantly cuts maintenance time.

By combining lessons from the Korean Navy, the alliance is building a "more robust, modern and interoperable sustainment network, ensuring it is ready for any challenge," it said.

Yonhap