Trillions for Military Technology
Subtitle: How the Pentagon Innovates and Why It Costs So Much
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan; Palgrave
Published: September 4, 2007
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 280
ISBN-13: 9781403984265
Subjects: History; History - Military / War; Military; Economic History; Military Science; History / Military / United States; Military - United States; Costs; Military research; Military weapons; Technological innovations; United States
Description: Trillions for Military Technology explains why the weapons purchased by the U.S. Department of Defense cost so much, why it takes decades to get them into production even as innovation in the civilian economy becomes ever more frenetic, and why some of those weapons don't work very well despite expenditures of many billions of dollars. It also explains what do about these problems. The author argues that the internal politics of the armed services make weapons acquisition almost unmanageable. Solutions require empowering civilian officials and reforms that will bring choice of weapons "into the sunshine" of public debate.