It is imperative to ensure the permeation of technological advancements in every human endeavor including military engineering. As a nation keeping abreast with the latest advancements and its application for defense domain is a necessity to maintain stable geo-politics and economic stability, specifically for a rapidly growing economy of a developing nation such as India. The history, technology, recent trends, and challenges associated with 3D printing have been explored comprehensively in this paper highlighting the potential application to be adopted for defence use. The issue with delay in adoption of any technological advances in tangential domains is owing to the fact that most research are fragmented and applications are patented with limited access to information. This paper presents an aggregated knowledge base of the various techniques developed in the field of 3D printing with potential of application for defence. It illuminates the innovative integration of 3D printed materials with additives, examining their usage and significance in military applications. Additionally, the paper explores the latest technological advancement in concepts of origami engineering, raw spider silk, Kevlar and chitin research to showcase the potential of using these concepts in conjunction with 3D printing for application in defense. The narrative is enriched by three case studies illustrating past and future applications of 3D-printed materials in military contexts.