Additive Manufacturing and Distributed Weapons Production (warontherocks.com)

• 3D printing enables localized small arms manufacturing
• Digital blueprints reduce reliance on foreign material support
• Shift towards highly resilient, decentralized weapon supply chains

"Additive manufacturing is shifting the paradigm of arms production, enabling non-state actors to bypass traditional supply chains. By utilizing digital blueprints and commercial off-the-shelf components, warfare is becoming increasingly decentralized, making legacy interdiction and stockpile management strategies less effective against insurgent or irregular forces."