In this fortnightly online column, ADM journalist Corey Lee Bell covers defence news across Japan and the Republic of Korea.
Japanese 3D printing construction technology start-up Serendix has released footage of successful ballistic tests on 3D-printed fortifications, as the company prepares to make its international defence sector debut at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026 on 20 July.
A video released by Serendix on 8 July shows high velocity projectiles striking two 3D-printed fortification designs, with one retaining structural integrity after impact.
According to information released by the company on the same day, the in-house test, overseen by Japanese structural design firm KAP, confirmed that the company’s alterations to material processing and structural design significantly improved the impact resistance of fortified walls.
The date of the trials, and technical data on factors including impact velocity, projectile weight etc. have not been publicly released.
Commenting on the test, Serendix co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Kunihiro Handa said that the test provided “significant insights for expanding the potential of 3D printing construction beyond the residential sector and into areas including blast-proof shelters, drone bases, emergency shelters and reconstruction.”
Serendix, whose main specialisation has hitherto been housing construction, has pivoted towards the defence sector in recent years, advertising its capability to produce and repair high durability, custom made fortifications at low cost and high speed through the use of specialised high flow mortar.
According to the company, it is currently developing combined multi-layered wall structures and rib configurations for enhancing impact-resistance, as well as rapid hardening technology that can dramatically reduce construction/structure repair times.
Serendix entry into the defence sector began when it was chosen as one of four start-ups chosen for collaborative development work with the Ministry of Defense (MoD), Self Defense Forces (SDF) and Acquisition, Logistics & Technology Agency (ATLA) in the third meeting of the Joint committee for promoting the utilisation of start-ups in the defence industry in 2023.
It has since collaborated with ATLA’s Defense Innovation Science & Technology Institute (DISTI) on developing technology for repairing fortified structures, participated in ATLA’s Defense Industry Promotion Exhibition (DIPEX) last December, and is currently aiding reconstruction efforts in war-impacted areas in Ukraine.
The last several years have Japan’s MoD place increasing emphasis on enhancing 3D printing capabilities, with a particular focus on parts procurement and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO).
In 2023, a MoD report on sustained warfare and resilience cited 3D printing as a key component in the forces’ digital transformation strategy.
It was subsequently mentioned in the 2025 Defense White Paper, which noted that additive manufacturing technologies are “prompting high expectations in many nations due to military applications such as low cost production and inventory-free procurement of components.”
In an information booklet released this year by ATLA the use of 3D printing technology was further listed as a category open for state subsidies under a new initiative for strengthening the nation’s defence base and ensuring the stable production of critical defence-related components.
Serendix’s inclusion in ATLA’s pavilion at the Farnborough International Airshow, where it will showcase fortifications including drone shelters, marks the first attendance of a Japanese 3D construction firm partnered with ATLA appearing at a major international defence exhibition.
While a relative newcomer to 3D printing defence applications, Japan has had some success exporting defence-grade additive manufacturing technology, with 3D printing service provider MadeHere K.K., which appeared at this year’s DIPEX event, having recently secured a contract for MRO services from the United States’ Marine Depot Maintenance Command (MDMC).