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| China's Wing Loong UACV (File Photo) |
By Robert Farley
The United States has unique advantages in defense research that China and Russia won’t be able to replicate.
Innovation in defense technology requires collaboration between military organizations (who know what they need), the defense industry (which appreciates the parameters of the possible), and the broader civilian economy (which lays the foundation for technological development and provides the resources for defense spending).
Within this very broad framework, states can structure their defense innovation system in a variety of ways. One increasingly important question involves the role that small, civilian-oriented firms can play in defense tech. For at least the last fifteen years, the U.S. Department of Defense has tried to spur small firms to contribute to defense innovation, especially as the costs of military technology increase relative to “off the shelf” civilian tech.
Read the full story at The Diplomat