Possible Soviet Response to the Strategic Defense Initiative: A Functionally Organized Taxonomy.

Abstract

In the wake of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), much effort has been devoted to estimating potential Soviet responses to it. There is general agreement that the Soviet response will (1) consist of attempts to stop, circumvent, emulate, and neutralize the SDI; (2) include political, military, and strategic efforts; and (3) vary over time, depending on several factors. Setting aside Soviet technological options, this Note considers various factors that might interest or influence senior Soviet decisionmakers as they consider a range of programmatic, strategic, and political options for responding to the SDI. Its goal is to identify generic categories of Soviet response options rather than the specific forms those options may take. Contents-- Precursors to any Taxonomy of Soviet Responses to SDI; Primarily Military or Technological Steps; Primarily Grand Strategic Steps; Primarily Political Steps.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1986
Accession Number
ADA174607

Entities

People

  • Kevin N. Lewis

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Defense
  • Air Force
  • Ballistic Missiles
  • Civil Defense
  • Command And Control
  • Defense Systems
  • Directed Energy Weapons
  • Homeland Defense
  • Military Organizations
  • National Security
  • Second World War
  • Strategic Defense Initiative
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Treaties
  • Warfare
  • Warning Systems
  • Weapons Effects

Readers

  • Library and Information Science
  • Software Engineering.
  • Systems Analysis and Design