On August 24, 2026, according to a U.S. Navy information office press release dated August 21 (reprinted by Seapower), the Navy has issued a new program-specific document, PPD 802-8436658, establishing a repeatable technical pathway for replacing traditional cast and forged components on submarines with metal 3D-printed parts. The release states that previously, substituting additive manufactured parts for conventional ones required individual engineering evaluations, manual drawing modifications, and repeated first-article testing; the new regulation removes these redundant approval steps. Metal 3D-printed components have already operated reliably in deep-sea missions aboard the USS Washington and USS Nevada. Vice Admiral Robert Gaucher, the Navy's submarine program director, stated that the new regulation will "empower engineers, shipyards, and suppliers to execute at scale." Systems under Level I material control and high-consequence classifications such as SUBSAFE must still meet Navy quality requirements, with strict traceability and non-destructive testing. The requirement is authorized for immediate use in submarine design, construction, overhaul, and repair, supporting the "1+2" annual shipbuilding target (one Columbia-class and two Virginia-class submarines). Value for powder buyers: ① Opening the submarine supply chain to additive manufacturing will generate long-term defense order flows for nickel-based alloys, titanium alloys, and copper-nickel alloy powders; ② Military certification (SUBSAFE-level) demands extremely high powder batch consistency and complete data packages, giving certified suppliers a clear first-mover advantage; ③ The logic of replacing cast and forged parts with additive manufacturing is equally applicable to commercial vessels and offshore engineering, with spillover demand for powders expected.