Defense Industrial Base at a Crossroads
Abstract
The United States enters the 21st century as the premier military force in the world, in part because the US industrial and technology base is the strongest in the world. The defense industrial base has gone, and is still going through, dramatic transformation. With the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and subsequent breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, profound changes have swept over the global political landscape. The US and its coalition partners face a dynamic security environment, marked by dramatic and constant geopolitical, military, economic, and technological change. The US recognizes that the health of its national security, the health of its defense industry, and the health of the NATO alliance are intertwined and that both sides of the Atlantic need viable defense industries in order to manage foreign policy. As a result, American and European governments and industry are struggling to respond to the upheaval brought about by the end of the Cold War. Major defense procurement decisions carry with them far greater implications for the industrial and technological base of the Atlantic alliance than they did during the Cold War. Consequently, both sides must consider carefully the implications for the alliance of its procurement decisions and practices to ensure this century is more peaceful and stable than the century before it.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA407664
Entities
People
- Gail C. Allen
Organizations
- Air University