Defense officials have described it as important if the US military wants to maintain “technological superiority.” The Senate Armed Services Committee has requested briefings on it. But the Pentagon is unable to keep tabs on how it uses 3D printers.
While military officials aren’t totally in the dark, they’re unable to “systematically track” the Defense Department’s use of so-called “additive manufacturing,” according to a Government Accountability Office report published Wednesday.
“DOD officials could not readily tell us the activities underway or the amount of funding being used for DOD’s additive manufacturing efforts,” GAO concluded.
Military officials also failed to provide the watchdog with performance analyses, the report stated.
GAO called on the Secretary of Defense to take the lead in implementing a strategy for more closely monitoring the department’s use of the nascent technology. The Pentagon agreed with the recommendations.
The watchdog was asked last year by the Senate Armed Services Committee to undertake the study.
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, in answers to questions submitted to him in July by the committee, vowed to increase the Army’s exploration of 3D printing, describing it as one of several “advanced emerging technologies [required] to maintain a qualitative edge over any opponent.”
Read the GAO report here.
