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Text: Thomas Masuch
Established in Frankfurt am Main in February 2026, the European network currently comprises 50 members and sees itself as the face and voice of Additive Manufacturing for the defence and security community. The association aims to strengthen collaboration and knowledge exchange among industry, research organisations, military stakeholders, institutions and policymakers, contributing to the development of a long-term European AM strategy.
As AMDefNet co-founder and chair Martin Huber explains, “The objective of an AM strategy must be to support and promote all areas that are relevant to Europe’s industrial autonomy and independence”. This includes not only promoting innovation, but also building up industrial capacities. “Harmonised qualification and training of skilled personnel at all levels is an essential part of this.”
Given the AM strategies already in place in the US and China, a European strategy could make a significant contribution to Europe’s resilience and, consequently, its security. AMDefNet therefore aims not only to connect stakeholders, but also to initiate concrete activities. Despite its relatively short history, the network has already participated in panel discussions at various trade fairs. In cooperation with Formnext, AMDefNet is organising the Formnext Defence Summit on November 17, 2026.
Removing barriers to adoption
A key element of this mission, Huber argues, is challenging entrenched perceptions and removing barriers to adoption, both within the public sector and the manufacturing industry itself, where companies often “prefer to rely on conventional, time-tested manufacturing methods”.
Such patterns of thinking also persist at the level of public authorities, partly due to a lack of knowledge about the technological possibilities. This is where AMDefNet aims to make a difference: “Whenever possible, we raise our voice and explain the enormous potential of AM in the field of security and defence.” This potential is explicitly “not limited to the armed forces and security services.”
AMDefNet is therefore driven by both technological and strategic priorities. Rather than being simply another manufacturing process, Additive Manufacturing should be viewed as a cornerstone for decentralised, demand-driven production, resilient supply chains and Europe’s technological sovereignty.
For more insights, visit the Formnext Defence Summit on 17 November 2026, being hosted in partnership with the AMDefNet.
