Weapons: A Report on the Industry 2004
Abstract
The weapons industry provides critical support directly to the military element and indirectly to other (e.g., diplomatic, informational, and economic) elements of national power. The industry, with products ranging from nuclear weapons to non-lethal arms, is frenetic with large and small, expanding and contracting, robustly funded and withering segments. Given this breadth, we chose to focus on three areas: small arms, non-lethal technologies, and energetic. We chose them because transformation has not taken hold across these areas as they have fallen beyond mainstream focus. Energetic remains under the purview of government laboratories, non-lethal technologies are interesting, but nascent, and the soldier and his rifle are an icon of legacy systems. To preserve comparatives advantage, we recommend a strategic review of these segments of the weapons industry. This review should determine if these segments are poised to deliver needed capabilities and if over-focus on high-end precision denigrates the role of small arms, non-lethal technologies, and energetic in national power.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA435126
Entities
People
- Janice Laurence
- Laurence Kerr
- Susan Maybaumwisniewski
- Walter Kreitler
Organizations
- Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy