After Rick’s recent presentation where he discussed the
future of weapons, I became curious about 3D printers and the possibility of
creating weapons more easily with them. Will this make it easier to obtain guns
without records and licenses? Will it become easier for foreign countries to
build weapons of mass destruction? Knowing little about 3D printers, I have
watched YouTube videos to see what can be created. If foreign enemies obtain
this technology, will modern warfare be changed? Will the proliferation of
weapons lead to more terrorist attacks, lone wolf attacks, and the escalation
of wars? According to a 2014 “Wired” article, a man in Japan obtained a 3D
printer and printed several firearms for himself. According to the article,
there are no laws in place to prohibit the use of 3D printers to create
weapons. The Liberator plastic gun was
manufactured by Cody Wilson and has become the most well-known and often
printed gun in the world of the 3D printer. According to New Atlas, Solid
Concepts recently created a semi-automatic 1911 pistol. New Atlas also
describes the ability of the military to use 3D printers to create necessary
parts for their own weapons. Without having foreign manufacturers involved, 3D
printers will make the creation of military weapons much more efficient. 3D
printing is highlighted as very important in the production of military
uniforms, specifically boots. While there are other focuses of the article by
New Atlas, they are generally positive and unrelated to national security.
Ultimately, I am concerned and curious about the future of 3D printers. Will
they become controlled in some way? Will we see a rise in the use of plastic
guns? Will the use of 3D printers reduce the costs necessary to supply our
military? Lastly, how likely is it that the 3D printer phenomenon will actually
take off?
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