On 8 December, UNIDIR provided a new platform for multi-stakeholder discussions on the role of knowledge transfer networks in driving improvised production of small arms and light weapons (SALW), improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and unscrewed aerial systems (UAS).
In recent years, improvised weapons have become a pervasive threat to international security – from the role of weaponized commercial drones in conflicts in Myanmar, Sudan and Ukraine, to the use of DIY firearms by criminals and terrorists in Africa, the Americas and Europe. With production and use growing beyond State control, participants at the UNIDIR conference Inside the networks: How knowledge-sharing drives improvised SALW, IEDs and UAS production highlighted the urgent need for enhanced national, regional and international responses to this emerging threat.
Capabilities that were once limited to States and industrial arms manufacturers are now within reach of individual hobbyists, criminal networks, and terrorist organizations. It is a moment to rethink traditional approaches to arms control.
Ambassador Thomas Göbel, Permanent Representative of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Conference on Disarmament
One of the driving forces behind the proliferation of improvised weapons is the diffusion of knowledge on their production and use. One of the conference’s experts highlighted that “groups from across contexts copy the tactics and the expertise, not only the hardware.” Increasingly detailed guidance for acquiring, assembling and using improvised weapons is shared through online and offline knowledge networks. Therefore, it is a timely moment to raise awareness, foster information-sharing, and enhance joint efforts to counter the illicit production and use of improvised SALW, IEDs and UAS.
If we continue to treat improvised SALW, IEDs and UAS as separate challenges, we will fall short – because their uses and users are now inseparably connected.
Matilde Vecchioni, Associate Researcher, Conventional Arms and Ammunition Programme, UNIDIR
Countering the spread of knowledge
Organized by UNIDIR’s Conventional Arms and Ammunition Programme, the conference on improvised weapons brought together over 80 participants from permanent missions in Geneva, international and regional organizations, national law enforcement agencies, civil society, and academia. The expert gathering addressed the role of knowledge transfer in the illicit proliferation of improvised weapons.
Stakeholders discussed key trends and linkages in improvised production of SALW, IEDs and UAS, and unpacked the role of different knowledge networks in acquisition, production and use across conflict and non-conflict settings. The programme also addressed regional and national perspectives, exploring the use of improvised weapons in case studies from different geopolitical contexts – including Brazil, Myanmar, Somalia and Ukraine.
Addressing improvised weapons proliferation
In the final roundtable session, participants shared best practices and challenges for addressing the illicit proliferation and misuse of improvised weapons observed in their work. Potential measures and some concrete next steps emerged to improve national, regional and international responses, focusing on three main areas for further developments and cooperation:
- Legislative approaches and policy frameworks:
Existing policy frameworks – international, regional and national – should be revised to keep pace with emerging trends in improvised weapons production. New legislative approaches also merit exploration, including the criminalization of possessing or using blueprints for the purpose of manufacturing weapons. Several countries, including Canada, North Macedonia, Singapore, and the State of New South Wales in Australia, have already adopted such measures. Monitoring their impact and effectiveness will be especially important for understanding how these policies may help prevent the misuse of 3D-printing technologies.
Existing regulations – such as those on readily convertible blank-firing firearms – can also inspire similar approaches for other improvised weapons, offering a practical pathway for controlling items and components with high misuse potential.
- Operational practices and investigations:
Improvisation is a process – and each step offers valuable opportunities to strengthen the prevention and disruption of illicit weapons production. Several national good practices from the UK, Brazil, Cambodia and others highlighted ways to enhance countermeasures by:
- tracking the materials, technologies and hardware used in weapons manufacturing;
- monitoring the individuals involved, including foreign fighters; and
- following the flow of online knowledge – not only on the dark web, but also across open-source platforms.
Civil society actors involved in field and open-source investigations can also play a crucial role in mapping flows, hotspots and tendencies related to improvised weapons production.
- Information sharing and data collection:
Those involved in improvised weapons production – whether hobbyists, criminal networks, or actors in active conflict – constitute an inventive, fast-adapting, and continuously evolving community. As one participant put it: “If the international community cannot move as quickly or as collaboratively as they do, we will always be one step behind.“
Improving information sharing among all relevant stakeholders – national authorities, law enforcement, border control, civil society organizations, and through postal and shipping services and social media platforms – is therefore essential. This effort must also be grounded in stronger data collection: ensuring that those responsible for gathering information are trained to identify and record different types of improvised weapons accurately. This is critical for understanding emerging developments and identifying common trends. Civil society actors can provide innovative solutions to enhance data collection efforts.
Shaping a community for collective action
By bringing together policymakers, law enforcement officials, regional and international organizations, as well as civil society and academia, the conference helped bridge sectoral knowledge gaps and foster dialogue on potential cooperative solutions. This represents only a first – but significant – step towards more coordinated and effective action to counter the growing threat posed by the improvised production of SALW, IEDs and UAS.
The mix of law enforcement and national and international experts created a uniquely productive environment. The networking and cooperation opportunities offered during the event have been invaluable.
Participant’s feedback
UNIDIR remains committed to building on these discussions and advancing collective efforts to curb the spread of improvised weapons.