Toward Fusion Of Air And Space: Surveying Developments And Assessing Choices For Small And Middle Powers (conference Proceedings / Rand)

These proceedings address benefits and risks of international air and space activities, including how they affect global and national security and interoperability among coalition partners with differing technological capabilities. Accelerated technological change and the growing availability and proliferation of advanced commercial technologies and systems affect today's international security environment and rethinking of military doctrine. What, for instance, is the wider application of these technologies and systems to operational exercises, and how does one address interoperability among coalition partners with differing technological capabilities? These developments assume special significance in the domain of space, and many nations are presently deciding how to proceed in their space activity. They must assess whether to acquire independent aerospace capabilities, whether to depend on other nations for aerospace support, whether potential costs and vulnerabilities are incurred for those relationships, and whether they are willing politically to accept both the benefits and the risks of dependence. A comprehensive understanding of what commercial and technological developments are occurring in the utilization of space as well as what is involved in integrating commercial and civil aerospace systems and technologies into military operations and organizations is required. RAND and the Fisher Institute for Air and Space Strategic Studies, in collaboration with the Israeli Air Force and the Israel Space Agency, held an international conference March 19-21, 2001, in Tel Aviv, focusing on the space activities and choices faced by small and medium powers. The papers presented should be of broad interest to government, military, and industry readers who follow international air and space issues and trends affecting global and national security Today's security environment and rethinking of military doctrine are affected by the growing availability of advanced commercial technologies. These proceedings address aspects of international air and space activities, such as how they affect global and national security, application of commercial technologies and systems to operational exercises, and interoperability among coalition partners with differing technological capabilities Preliminaries......Page 1 CONFERENCE OVERVIEW AND OPENING KEYNOTE ADDRESS......Page 26 MILITARY AND COMMERCIAL SPACE REALITIES......Page 40 ADDITIONAL PERSPECTIVES......Page 76 ADDITIONAL DILEMMAS AND OPPORTUNITIES......Page 91 STRATEGIC CHOICES FOR SMALL AND MIDDLE POWERS......Page 130 SPACE VISION AND POLICY OPTIONS......Page 169 Dana J. Johnson And Ariel E. Levite, Editors. National Security Research Division Prepared For The Fisher Institute For Air And Space Strategic Studies Cf-177-fias--p. [4] Of Cover. Includes Bibliographical References. Since the end of the Cold War, the world has seen the emergence of a dynamic and evolving international security environment.