Slowing down to keep the lead in military technology
Abstract
We develop a model of military technology competition among states. States can choose to introduce new military
technology, mimic rivals’ level of technology, or withdraw from the contest. States can choose to implement any level
of technology within their current feasible technologies. We find that states with significant technological leads should
sometimes withhold new technologies, only strategically releasing them to trump rivals’ efforts. We develop the model
by refining Admiral Jackie Fisher’s roughly articulated concept of ‘plunging’. We then use this refined argument to
reanalyze the case of naval rivalries among European powers between the Crimean War and the First World War.
Finally, we conclude by discussing the model’s implications for current US military force structure planning.
Description
The article of record as published may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10242694.2010.491675
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.Collections
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Military assistance: a tool of national security and American diplomacy
Bahm, J. J. (American University, 1967);The Military Assistance Program has been a feature of American national strategy for nearly twenty years. It began with the Greek-Turkish Aid Program of 1947 which was enacted as a commitment supporting the Truman Doctrine. ... -
Military applications of intranet technology: Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center
Booth, Charles W.; Gutsch, Barbara J. (Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2004-06);Intranets are rapidly becoming a corporate internal information- sharing medium. Intranet technology is the same robust, proven, industry standard technology that is used on the Internet. The technical aspects of implementing ... -
Systems engineering technology readiness assessment of hybrid-electric technologies for tactical wheeled vehicles
McCown, Eddie E. (Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School, 2014-09);The Department of Defense is the largest federal government consumer of fossil fuel. The military has been severely limited by the burden of petroleum-based fuel technologies, which have greatly hindered the military’s ...