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| Science & Technology |
| 3D Printed SAM Missiles - What Could Go Wrong? |
| 2026-03-24 |
| [Ynet] This dirt-cheap 3D-printed missile is raising red flags for security agencies worldwide. Independent engineer posts open-source prototype of a shoulder-fired guided missile built for under $100; cheap sensors, GPS and distributed cameras highlight growing fears over the democratization of advanced weapons A video circulating online has exposed what security officials describe as a troubling new reality: a prototype shoulder-fired guided missile built with household tools, a 3D printer and parts costing less than $100. The prototype, which reportedly cost $96 to assemble, was developed by independent engineer Alisher Khojayev, who published the full project online on GitHub. Khojayev’s design includes a missile with folding stabilizing fins, a navigation system based on GPS and a compass, and a simple flight computer built on an ESP32 controller, the same low-cost chip commonly found in consumer electronics and smart home devices. Beyond the launcher and missile itself, the engineer proposed a broader concept: a distributed network of cameras capable of triangulating airborne targets and transmitting targeting data to the missile in real time. A WAKE-UP CALL FOR DEFENSE INDUSTRIES Security experts say the project serves as a wake-up call for defense agencies in Israel and around the world. To grasp the scale of the development, analysts point to the cost gap between the prototype and existing military systems. The U.S.-made Stinger missile, widely considered the Western standard for shoulder-launched air defense against low-flying aircraft, costs American taxpayers about $480,000 per unit. Even the U.S. Air Force’s “low-cost missile” initiative, the Counter-Air Missile Program (CAMP), which aims to significantly reduce production costs, still targets prices of several hundred thousand dollars per missile. In Israel, the economic comparison is also stark. An interceptor used by the Iron Dome defense system costs between $20,000 and $100,000. The laser-based “Iron Beam” system promises interception costs of just a few dollars per shot, but its development and infrastructure are estimated to cost billions. Khojayev’s prototype highlights a different path: cheap, decentralized production using consumer-grade technology and artificial intelligence, without the need for large factories or global supply chains. THE RISE OF 3D-PRINTED WEAPONS The trend does not exist in isolation. In China, the world’s largest manufacturer of 3D printers, the defense industry is rapidly adopting additive manufacturing to mass-produce missile components. In Europe, defense giant MBDA already incorporates 3D-printed parts in its missiles to shorten production times. The real testing ground, however, may be Ukraine, which has been fighting Russia for four years. Reports from the battlefield describe networks of “basement labs” using hundreds of 3D printers to produce low-cost interceptor drones and munitions. Ukrainian company SkyFall recently unveiled the P1-Sun, a 3D-printed interceptor drone capable of reaching speeds of 450 kilometers per hour and designed to shoot down cruise missiles and Iranian-made Shahed drones. The ability to rapidly alter manufacturing plans in order to evade Russian electronic warfare systems gives small-scale producers an advantage that large defense companies struggle to match. FROM 3D-PRINTED GUNS TO GUIDED WEAPONS The path toward a $100 missile began in 2013, when American activist Cody Wilson released the plans for the Liberator, the first fully 3D-printed handgun. At the time, many experts dismissed the development as a dangerous but limited novelty. |
| Posted by:Griter+Slash1619 |
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| Posted by: Frank G 2026-03-24 18:48 |
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| Posted by: DarthVader 2026-03-24 16:42 |
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| Posted by: Skidmark 2026-03-24 10:16 |