Decline of the U.S. Defense Industrial and Technology Base: The Impact on National Security.

摘要

U.S. National security is based on a strategy of deterrence. Rather than attempting to match adversaries one-to-one in personnel and weapons systems, the U.S. strives to maintain a level of technological superiority sufficient to overcome numerical disadvantages. The strength of this deterrence is dependent on the ability of the U.S. to maintain technological superiority. Factors that degrade U.S. technological superiority ultimately compromise deterrence. One such factor is globalization of the economy which is accompanied by worldwide dissemination of technologies applicable to both commercial and military use (i.e., 'dual-use'). Competition in semiconductors, computers, fiberoptics and the whole spectrum of microprocessor controlled products is global, with U.S. preeminence threatened by Japan. Globalization also creates a U.S. dependence on foreign manufactured electronic components critical to our defense systems. As the U.S. loses its competitive edge in high technology, the strength of U.S. deterrence declines at a proportionate rate. In this paper, the problem of a declining U.S. defense industrial and technology base is discussed and contrasted with increasing technological competitiveness from Japan. First, sources of the U.S. decline in technological competitiveness are described. Second, Japan's strategy for world dominance of targeted technologies is discussed. Third, the emergence of Japan as a legitimate competitor in military technology is presented.