From Filament to Firepower: 3D Printing’s Impact on Warfare

Additive manufacturing is revolutionizing how firearms are produced and sustained in armed conflicts, especially by non-state actors. While U.S. policymakers focus on domestic "ghost guns," the more significant disruption is in conflict zones like Myanmar, where digital manufacturing empowers insurgents and erodes state control over violence. The technology has evolved from unreliable early models to a robust ecosystem capable of producing combat-effective weapons using consumer-grade printers. In Myanmar's civil war, rebel forces are using 3D-printed carbines to gain self-sufficiency and sustain their fight against the military junta, signaling a future where sanctions and supply interdiction may become less effective.