The Phenomenon of Additive Manufacturing as a Tool for a New Perception of Military Logistics

The concept of additive manufacturing (AM), also known as the more common term “3D printing,” is increasingly recognized as a modern tool for simplifying logistics in contemporary military affairs.  The use of AM continues to grow as it becomes more accessible, with the potential to revolutionize the military and defense sectors. [1] Nowadays, the shift in the global order can be inferred, associated with the rise of disruptive technologies, including AM. This situation and associated militarization might bring us closer to a new revolution in military logistics.

What Additive Manufacturing Means for the Military and Why It Matters

Today, especially with the return of full-scale, symmetrical, and industrially demanding conflict to Europe in the form of the Russo-Ukrainian war, we can anticipate that contemporary militaries will rely heavily on logistical supply chains and personnel support. [2] To maintain combat strength, armed forces will have to fundamentally improve their supply lines and prepare to carry out extensive logistical planning. [3] Some security studies scholars even claim that the use of AM is necessary to build an effective and modern army. [4] At this moment, there is a consensus among most scholars that the use of additive manufacturing lies especially in the delivery of spare parts. [1] [5]

There are plenty of countries that have framed the concept of AM into their security strategies, with the U.S. as a leader in this field. Furthermore, there are also countries that still analyze the concept and consider its implementation, such as Poland and its armed forces. [6] The purpose of this article is to describe the actual level of implementation in modern armed forces and to connect the concept with further theoretical frameworks, such as revolution in military affairs (RMA). Nowadays, it can be noted that the actual benefits of AM are predominantly in diversifying and decreasing redundancy of actual logistical supply chains between the battlefield and industrial base, but there is also a perspective for the future logistical potential of AM on a strategic scale and in new domains such as the space domain and associated infrastructure.

The relevance of the AM might be perceived as a part of the tools of modern warfare, such as AI, drones, robotics, biotech, quantum computing, or hypersonic weapons, that are described in multiple contemporary national security strategies or white papers, such as the Joint White Paper for European Defence Readiness 2030. [7] AM has potential to improve, amend or supplement mentioned technologies. The future challenge for military logistics is to develop the ability to provide immediate response support in a new dimension of warfare, given that the organization of war is dynamic, needs change, and force structures are dispersed. [10] [4] From this stance, AM as a disruptive technology can and most probably will play an important role in the future revolution that can already be experienced on today’s battlefields. Used in field conditions, it could contribute to the operational readiness of military equipment. [6]

Firstly, additive manufacturing was invented already in the 1970s by Charles Hull and got patented in 1984. [6] Since then, AM has proved its versatility and has been employed in various fields such as vehicle manufacturing, biomedicine, automobiles, aerospace, precision instruments, or geographic information systems. [11] Current data demonstrate a massive growth of the AM market, which is predicted to increase from 1.5 billion USD in 2023 to an expected 4.71 billion in 2028. [2] Besides the fact that all the mentioned fields can be partially associated with the military or its logistics, it is possible to discern ambitions to involve AM explicitly in military affairs. There is an academic consensus that the most beneficial and the most effective form of AM for this cause is Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), also known as Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), which is renowned for its affordability, ease of use, durability, and safety. [1] [5] The process of FFF can be described as the heating and extruding thermoplastic filaments (plastic materials), which are then deposited layer by layer to build up a 3D object. The melted material is extruded through a small nozzle onto a build platform, where it cools and solidifies, and this process is repeated layer by layer. [1]

Generally, the FFF offers a wide range of uses for military logistics, especially the possibility of rapid prototyping and manufacturing, increased adaptability and customization of the products, reduced costs, deployment of war gadgets, sustainability, and resource efficiency. [1] First and foremost, the concept can offer significant advantages in small-scale production and facilitate the production of personalized and custom products in a short amount of time. [6] Also, it can help increase the interoperability within the allied nations that possess different technologies. AM could produce spare parts universally for all included actors without needing to wait for the delivery of specific components. [5] This option of standardization and interoperability at the allied level unfolds great potential to support further military operations, even on the remote battlefield. [4]

Current Use of AM on the Battlefield

Even nowadays, it is already possible to register the benefits of AM, which makes the tactical-operational level of the battlefield less dependent on the logistical lines. The development is currently individual, based on the research priorities of each country. At this point, the biggest benefits of AM are the possibility of significantly faster and cheaper manufacturing of specialized components and production of components that have even higher durability than the original ones. For example, the U.S. Air Force has successfully managed to print a titanium part for the F-22 Raptor, which is replaced in 80% of cases during official maintenance. The component could last the whole lifetime of the fighter jet, unlike the original aluminum one. This creates an opportunity to quickly produce replacement parts for military aircraft and get them back in the air as soon as possible.

Furthermore, if we are thinking about the pace of production, AM was able to produce a rotor system for the Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopter in 8 hours. The conventional way to produce such a rotor requires one year. [2] Interesting is also research conducted by the Czech University of Defense about the possible replacement of components on the remote-controlled weapon station for a 30mm cannon on Pandur vehicles. The problem in this case is that the control buttons, which are part of the whole system, are not commonly available. If they get broken, it is usually necessary to replace the entire control panel, which costs an additional 60 thousand euros and further increases delivery time. The problem can be solved by AM, which can replace the buttons with non-original pieces using the FFF method of printing in a few minutes right on the spot. [5]

In addition, the Ukrainian war shows many practical and cost-saving ways to use AM right on the battlefield that prevent logistical complications. A prime example is Ukrainian company Mayak, which has developed a conversion kit that can be 3D printed for the former Soviet RKG-3 grenade. As a result, they can be installed on small drones that can drop them with tremendously increased accuracy. 3D Tech Additive, on the other hand, produces holsters for AK-47s, which enable soldiers to secure their firearms, or antireflective lenses that help Ukrainian snipers not to be spotted. [1] Those are all very practical tools, especially in asymmetric warfare. For instance, insurgents and guerrilla warfare fighters might suffer from a lack of constant supplies. The ability to fight in relative isolation is crucial for small armies. [12] AM has been used in Myanmar by insurgents to print a semiautomatic FGC-9 pistol. [2] However, it is important to mention that fully 3D-printed firearms predominantly consist of 3D-printed components, supplemented by non-printed materials such as nails or elastic bands, and are generally less reliable and durable than traditional firearms. [13] Ukrainians have also used AM when it came to repairing bridges. [2] Furthermore, AM has been used by the US to construct runways for airports. [6]

Another huge potential benefit on the battlefield could be the connection of AM with reverse engineering. It is questionable how effective reverse engineering would be with the captured modern technologies of the opponent, following scanning and further printing, but that is a question for future development of technology. In addition, future development is mostly associated with the AI, which plays a rapidly growing role at the intersection of reverse engineering and additive manufacturing. AI acts as a “process compressor,” cutting down a workflow that used to take weeks of manual engineering down to days or even hours. Nowadays, the very perspective way of combining these two concepts is to use them for old components that are mostly unavailable. For instance, if a rare or old component gets broken, the technician can simply scan it with a 3D scanner and print it. [14] At some point, we can register an “improvise and adapt” solution like this in Ukraine in association with the mentioned grenade initiative, where Ukrainians are scanning different types of drones to create a proper conversion kit for the grenades. That could represent the most common occurrence of reverse engineering on contemporary battlefields. [15]

Possible Contemporary Limitations

The biggest problem with the broader use of AM to make conventional logistical lines more redundant is the cost-efficiency. Even though the average cost of 3D printers has decreased in recent years, it remains significantly high. The more expensive the printers are, the higher the price for maintenance and materials. [16] At this point, the most useful way to implement AM into military logistics is on-demand production, production of critical spare parts, and the possibility to reduce dependence on centralized warehouses and adjust their supply chains. [2]

Another hypothetical problem can be the question of ownership rights. Since we can assume that one of the biggest benefits of AM is producing cheaper alternatives to the original components, production could deal a significant blow to the repair and service systems for the companies that produced the original product. That was shown on the example of AH-64 helicopters produced by Boeing or Pandurs produced by Steyr-Daimler-Puch under the concern of General Dynamics.

Since the AM in the military is mostly in its experimental phase, the most important criteria for future use will be especially speed of production, cost effectiveness, design flexibility, materials option, and overall quality of the final product. [1] As much as the idea of an independent production base right at the battlefield sounds appealing, the AM is not suited for mass production yet. [2]

3D printers on the battlefield also require highly stable platforms, which is a problem given the harsh terrain conditions or the possibility of conducting long-distance operations. [17] Also, when it comes to using specialized multiple 3D printers, it is not possible without personnel dedicated to AM. That implies that it would be necessary for 3D printers to be operated by a separate unit at the maintenance site. [18] This poses a problem if the operators are drafters who are not qualified or trained to use the 3D printer. A possible solution could be establishing a reachback center of excellence for the AM, and only lowest level tasks would be outsourced to the maintenance crew. [19] In 2022, the U.S. Navy opened the Additive Manufacturing Centre of Excellence in Virginia to train specialized engineers for 3D printing. The U.S. Navy is even exploring ways to use AM to design, print, and install critical or obsolete parts while at sea. [20] The equivalent center already exists within the German defense forces as the 3D Centre of Excellence for materials and construction methods. [6]

AM as the Future on the Tactical and Operational Level?

Additive manufacturing enables the rapid, on-demand production of critical spare parts directly near the battlefield and significantly reduces reliance on vulnerable traditional supply chains. As demonstrated in the Russo-Ukrainian War, AM offers unprecedented operational adaptability and cost-saving solutions, especially through methods like Fused Filament Fabrication. From this perspective, the AD might play a pivotal role when it comes to the logistical chain and even repair and production directly on the battlefield which would revolutionize the whole concept of military logistics as we know it.

However, widespread integration faces notable challenges. AM is currently best suited for customized production rather than mass manufacturing. Overcoming hurdles such as high implementation costs, intellectual property disputes, environmental instability on the battlefield, and the need for specialized operators requires continued investment in dedicated Centers of Excellence. Ultimately, despite these limitations, AM’s ability to deliver immediate logistical solutions cements its role as a crucial pillar of future battlefield readiness.

Reviewed by Kryštof Tesař and Martin Machorek
Cover photo: U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Dylan Myers

Sources

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