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3D printing will revolutionise war and foreign policy, say experts, not only by making possible incredible new designs but by turning the defence industry – and possibly the entire global economy – on its head.

For many, 3D printing still looks like a gimmick, used for printing useless plastic figurines and not much else.

But with key patents running out this year, new printers that use metal, wood and fabric are set to become much more widely available – putting the engineering world on the cusp of major historical change.