3 D Printing is in its infancy in terms of providing parts for the military.
A challenge for the military is of course the need for parts reliability and ruggedness at very high standards.
This is why the term “military grade” was invented.
But as 3D printing becomes part of the sustainment enterprise, there are very significant impacts to be anticipated.
“Just in time” gets a whole new meaning when one can build parts locally.
This means as well that distribute operations can be facilitated more effectively.
And there is a significant potential reduction on the supply fleet, whether it be by land, sea or air.