Defense Conversion Redirecting R and D
Abstract
Defense conversion means finding productive civilian uses for the resources and people formerly devoted to the Nation's defense. Channeling the savings from reduced defense R and D to civilian R and D is, of course, only one option for using the peace dividend. There are many others, including deficit reduction. This Report examines opportunities to advance civilian technologies and improve U.S. industrial competitiveness internationally by redirecting research and development from defense to dual-use or civilian purposes. The Report has two parts. Part One analyzes how R and D institutions currently pursuing defense missions could be more responsive and useful to civilian technology development. Defense R and D has historically dominated government R and D, and it will continue to do so even with reduced funding. However, there are opportunities to use a growing portion of the resources and talents of the defense research infrastructure for civilian technology development. The Report focuses particularly on the Department of Energy's (DOE's) three nuclear weapons laboratories, Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories. These labs are very large, with combined operating budgets of $3.4 billion and more than 24,000 employees. More than other defense- related R and D institutions, these labs are under heavy pressure to devote greater resources to civilian technologies, largely through cooperative research and development agreements (CRADAs) with industry. In the short term, DOE needs an improved process for initiating CRADAs in order to be responsive to industry's surprisingly large demand for shared R and D with the defense labs
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA269029