Exploiting Technology: Presentation to a Colloquium of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, September 29, 1987.

摘要

Technology cannot enhance the security of the United States unless it is exploited. The point is obvious. However, it seems in this case that restating the obvious is appropriate. With respect to conventional weapons, we are not exploiting emerged technology in time constants that could remotely be characterized as timely. Progress toward operational capability does not stem from projects that study phenomenology. Progress stems from programs with an operational focus. In the case of weapons this means we are specific--we are equipping some platform with some weapon to kill something according to a well-defined operational concept. It is currently too easy to set up dead-end technology projects and too hard to sustain meaningful development programs. Somehow or another we must reverse these circumstances. We should advocate weapons in a larger context. We should pursue weapons in the context of an overall building--the operational capability we seek is the building. By the same token, operational capability is attained by the thoughtful integration of engagement systems, weapons, and munitions, with delivery platforms. (jhd)