Towards a brave new arms industry?: [the decline of the second-tier arms-producing countries and the emerging international division of labour in the defence industry]

In the post-Cold War era, most countries have been forced to radically reduce their arms industries, and abandoned self-sufficiency in favour of a subordinate role in an increasingly globalized worldwide defence industry. This has significant implications for the future of armaments production, for proliferation, and for arms control. Despite Professed Goals Of Self-sufficiency, Most So-called Second-tier Arms Producers - I.e., The Smaller Industrialised Countries And The Major Arms Producers In The Developing World - Have Largely Failed To Eliminate Or Even Substantially Reduce Their Dependencies On Foreign Technologies, Due To Continued Deficiencies And Weaknesses In These Countries' R & D And Manufacturing Bases. Recent Industrial Readjustment Strategies Undertaken By Many Of These Second-tier Arms-producing Countries Point To Their Increasingly Subordinate Role In A More Globalised And Interdependent Worldwide Defence Industry. Structurally, Such A System Could Resemble A Huge 'hub And Spoke' Model, Comprising A Few Large First-tier Firms Operating At The Centre - And Providing The Process Of Armaments Production With Its Critical Design, Development And Systems Integration Inputs - With Lines Of Outsourced Production Of Niche Systems Or Low-tech Items Extending Out To Second-tier States On The Periphery. Although Such A Global 'division Of Labour' In Arms Production Will Probably Bring New Economic And Technological Benefits To Many Second-tier Arms Producers, It Is Likely That It Will Entail The Abandonment Of Their Original Objectives Of Self-sufficiency.--jacket. The Rise And Fall Of Second-tier Arms Producers -- Transition And Readjustment In Second-tier Defence Industries : Five Case Studies -- Towards A Brave New Arms Industry? -- Implications And Challenges Ahead. Richard A. Bitzinger. Published In Association With The International Institute For Strategic Studies. Includes Bibliographical References. In the post-Cold War era, most countries have been forced to radically reduce their arms industries, and abandon self-sufficiency in favour of a subordinate role in an increasingly globalise worldwide defence industry. This has significant implications for the future of armaments production, for proliferation, and for arms control.