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Guam has taken a major step toward diversifying its economy and boosting US defense manufacturing in the Pacific with the groundbreaking of its first advanced manufacturing facility, a move officials say could position the island as a regional hub for high-tech production. The Guam Advanced Material & Manufacturing Accelerator (GAMMA) broke ground Thursday in Dededo. The project, led by the nonprofit Applied Science & Technology Research Organization (ASTRO) America, aims to produce advanced components for US Navy submarines and commercial industries across Asia, according to Kuam News. Guam’s Silicon Village “Today is the day Guam joins the ranks of all 50 states, establishing a supplier of manufactured submarine parts for the United States Navy,” said Neal Orringer, president of ASTRO America, during the ceremony. “We’re building a Guam-based factory to make parts made in Guam, train local students to become mechanical engineers, and employ them in advanced manufacturing.” Orringer said that 3D-printed submarine parts could be produced on the island as early as the end of next year. The 8,000-square-foot GAMMA Application Center will house state-of-the-art equipment for “just-in-time” manufacturing, a system that could reduce supply delays for both military and civilian users. “If we can start doing just-in-time manufacturing here in Guam, it’s going to change everything,” Orringer said. The facility is part of a five-year collaboration between the Government of Guam and the US Navy, aimed at enhancing both defense readiness and the island’s economic resilience. Governor Lou Leon Guerrero called the project transformative for Guam’s workforce and supply chain. “From training, to production, to sustainment, to even supplying parts for cars and ambulances, this will be a key player in many of our materials and production needs,” she said. Construction is currently in Phase I and is expected to continue through early 2026, with phased operations beginning soon after, according to project officials. Local leaders say the initiative could catalyze a larger vision, one they are calling “Guam’s Silicon Village,” a network of researchers, companies, and entrepreneurs linked through advanced manufacturing and technology development. “What COVID reminded us is that we are too reliant on tourism,” Melvin Tabilas, small business division manager at the Guam Economic Development Authority, told The Guam Daily Post. “Additive manufacturing can support aerospace, healthcare, automotive, and construction industries, and help us build a diversified, innovation-based economy.” Battlefield 3D-printing The University of Guam (UOG) is central to that vision. The university is partnering with ASTRO America and the Colorado School of Mines on a new 2+2 mechanical engineering degree program, in which students complete two years at UOG and two years at a new satellite campus that Mines plans to establish on Guam. “Students will graduate with a Colorado School of Mines degree without leaving the island,” Hiroshan Hettiarachchi, dean of UOG’s School of Engineering, told The Guam Daily Post. “They’ll get hands-on experience with additive manufacturing at ASTRO’s facility.” Hettiarachchi said the collaboration ensures Guam’s engineers receive accredited, hands-on training and stay competitive with mainland graduates. The university also plans to launch an electrical engineering program within the next two years to expand its local technical education capacity. Tabilas said advanced manufacturing could also strengthen supply chains and enable local businesses to commercialize defense-related technologies. “Additive manufacturing allows for tech transfer, taking research and ideas from the lab to the market,” he said. The effort comes as Guam prepares for an expanding military presence. The US Navy anticipates approximately 10,000 additional active-duty personnel, dependents, and civilians relocating to Guam over the next decade, according to defense officials. Whether the island’s “Silicon Village” vision fully materializes remains to be seen, but officials say the foundation is being laid: a manufacturing base, educational partnerships, and a skilled workforce.
