ANALYSIS ON HOW THE MARINE CORPS HAS CREATED POLICY AND INTEGRATED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING THROUGHOUT THE FORCE

This joint applied project analyzed the Marine Corps’ integration of additive manufacturing (AM) technology throughout the force. Principally, it analyzed the publication Marine Corps Order (MCO) 4700.4 and examined how this document supports AM integration. The primary research question addressed AM’s current position within the Marine Corps and what areas could be improved. The most significant area for improvement was cybersecurity concerns. One secondary research question addressed specific risks AM technologies present and how the Marine Corps has or can mitigate those risks. This question supported the primary research question by expounding on the risks of cybersecurity to AM. Another secondary research question was to address what unique opportunities AM technologies provide and how the Marine Corps can fully harness those opportunities. This research question demonstrated AM’s benefits beyond maintenance and cost savings, such as humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations and logistics operations within China’s weapon engagement zone in the South China Sea. Overall, this analysis sought to provide direction and focus to any potential revision of MCO 4700.4 in the future. The data collection was conducted by examining recent articles (approximately less than five years) to determine the state of the technology in the private, public, and military sectors. The analysis remained at the unclassified level to ease distribution of this report.Major, United States Marine CorpsApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited