The Impact of Future Strategic Defenses on Strategic Stability
The Impact of Future Strategic Defenses on Strategic Stability

Author: Henry L Pugh (Jr)

Publisher:

Published: 1986

Total Pages: 35

ISBN-13:

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The study provides an analysis of stability issues associated with developing and deploying strategic defenses. Strategic stability is defined in the context of current US and Soviet defense policy, and stability criteria are developed in terms of the abstract concepts of crisis and arms race instabilities and in terms of more pragmatic issues of system survivability and cost effectiveness. The study offers a stability assessment of some generic SDI options based on the criteria above. The study concludes that defensive system survivability is a key stabilizing factor regardless of the level of defensive capability which the SDI process may deliver, while defensive capability is more important in determining whether a nation can adopt a countervailing, war-fighting, or defense emphasis strategy.

Strategic Stability in the Post-Cold War World and the Future of Nuclear Disarmament
Strategic Stability in the Post-Cold War World and the Future of Nuclear Disarmament

Author: Melvin L. Best (Jr.)

Publisher: Springer

Published: 1995-10-31

Total Pages: 348

ISBN-13:

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The contributors to Strategic Stability in the Post-Cold War World and the Future of Nuclear Disarmament recognize that the collapse of the former Soviet Union has left a conceptual vacuum in the definition of a new world order. Never before have the components of world order all changed so rapidly, so deeply, or so globally. As Henry Kissinger points out, the emergence of a new world order will have to confront three fundamental questions: What are the basic units of the international order? What are their means of interacting? and What are the goals on behalf of which they interact? The main question is whether the establishment and maintenance of an international system will turn out to be a conscious design, or the outgrowth of a trial of strength. The concept of a planning framework that could shape or govern these interactions is emerging and may now be at hand. Capturing this emerging framework is the thrust of the present book, which seeks to reach a consensus on defining a model (calculus) for strategic stability in a changing, multipolar world in the presence of weapons of mass destruction - the model being the core of a conscious design to shape or govern the interactions of nation states in a new world order. The following taxonomy of the dimensions of strategic stability was accepted by the contributors as the first step towards such a model: Stability in geopolitics and balance of power; Arms race stability; Deterrence stability, crisis stability, first strike stability; Stability in the presence of clandestine proliferation. After four gruelling days, this unprecedented gathering of top academic, scientific and military experts from the USA, Russia, the UK, France, China, India, and Israel reached a general agreement that is captured in the Consensus Report; each participant presented an individual contribution that further fleshes out the dimensions of strategic stability. This unprecedented work provides joint concepts for all leaders of the nuclear powers to shape their decisions for the coming decades. And for the first time they can base their decisions on agreed scientific facts, not just political judgments.

The End of Strategic Stability?
The End of Strategic Stability?

Author: Lawrence Rubin

Publisher: Georgetown University Press

Published: 2018-09-03

Total Pages: 323

ISBN-13: 162616603X

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During the Cold War, many believed that the superpowers shared a conception of strategic stability, a coexistence where both sides would compete for global influence but would be deterred from using nuclear weapons. In actuality, both sides understood strategic stability and deterrence quite differently. Today’s international system is further complicated by more nuclear powers, regional rivalries, and nonstate actors who punch above their weight, but the United States and other nuclear powers still cling to old conceptions of strategic stability. The purpose of this book is to unpack and examine how different states in different regions view strategic stability, the use or non-use of nuclear weapons, and whether or not strategic stability is still a prevailing concept. The contributors to this volume explore policies of current and potential nuclear powers including the United States, Russia, China, India, Iran, Israel, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. This volume makes an important contribution toward understanding how nuclear weapons will impact the international system in the twenty-first century and will be useful to students, scholars, and practitioners of nuclear weapons policy.

Artificial intelligence and the future of warfare
Artificial intelligence and the future of warfare

Author: James Johnson

Publisher: Manchester University Press

Published: 2021-09-14

Total Pages: 186

ISBN-13: 1526145073

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This volume offers an innovative and counter-intuitive study of how and why artificial intelligence-infused weapon systems will affect the strategic stability between nuclear-armed states. Johnson demystifies the hype surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) in the context of nuclear weapons and, more broadly, future warfare. The book highlights the potential, multifaceted intersections of this and other disruptive technology – robotics and autonomy, cyber, drone swarming, big data analytics, and quantum communications – with nuclear stability. Anticipating and preparing for the consequences of the AI-empowered weapon systems are fast becoming a critical task for national security and statecraft. Johnson considers the impact of these trends on deterrence, military escalation, and strategic stability between nuclear-armed states – especially China and the United States. The book draws on a wealth of political and cognitive science, strategic studies, and technical analysis to shed light on the coalescence of developments in AI and other disruptive emerging technologies. Artificial intelligence and the future of warfare sketches a clear picture of the potential impact of AI on the digitized battlefield and broadens our understanding of critical questions for international affairs. AI will profoundly change how wars are fought, and how decision-makers think about nuclear deterrence, escalation management, and strategic stability – but not for the reasons you might think.

Strategic Stability
Strategic Stability

Author: Elbridge A. Colby

Publisher: Army War College Press

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 452

ISBN-13:

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What is strategic stability and why is it important? This edited collection offers the most current authoritative survey of this topic, which is central to U.S. strategy in the field of nuclear weapons and great power relations. A variety of authors, leading experts in the field of strategic issues and regional studies, offer both theoretical and practical insights into the basic concepts associated with strategic stability, what implications these have for the United States as well as key regions such as the Middle East, and perspectives on strategic stability in Russia and China. Readers will develop a deeper and more developed understanding of this concent from this engaging and informative work.

The Best Defense: Charting the Future of US Space Strategy and Policy
The Best Defense: Charting the Future of US Space Strategy and Policy

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 112

ISBN-13:

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The United States is at a cross-roads with respect to space. The challenge that now presents itself is how to craft a strategy that maintains the United States' asymmetric advantage in space while moving from the current age of uncontested access to one where access must be assured by deliberate actions. All military strategies are key to the overall grand strategy of the state, but the U.S. military strategy for space holds a special degree of influence upon the overall success of U.S. grand strategy. What type of strategy would best achieve U.S. security objectives? Should the United States adopt a largely defensive strategy to protect its interests and preserve its advantages, or does the adage "the best defense is a strong offense" hold true for space? This thesis seeks to inform modern-day space strategy decisions through an examination of three historical case studies in which U.S. strategists and decision makers faced similar high stakes national security decisions with uncertain outcomes: the hydrogen bomb, MIRV missiles, and Star Wars. Analyses of these decision making processes and the resulting consequences give insight into these important questions and may inform us on the potential road ahead for space. These cases reveal how military superiority strategies; faith in, and reliance upon technology to solve complex national security problems; and a strong preference for offensive solutions to secure U.S. national security can produce the opposite of their intended effects. The potential exists for the United States to adopt a military strategy for space -- and acquire weapons to support its fulfillment -- that undermines U.S. grand strategy and delivers less security. The author concludes that given the current context, the nation is better off pushing the status quo in space without perturbing strategic stability, which will help retain the political, military, and economic advantages it has worked to hard to achieve.

The Best Defense
The Best Defense

Author: School of Advanced Air and Space Studies

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2014-06-14

Total Pages: 106

ISBN-13: 9781500174422

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THE US IS AT A CROSSROADS WITH RESPECT TO SPACE. THE CHALLENGE THAT NOW PRESENTS ITSELF IS HOW TO CRAFT A STRATEGY THAT MAINTAINS THE UNITED STATES' ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE IN SPACE WHILE MOVING FROM THE CURRENT AGE OF UNCONTESTED ACCESS TO ONE WHERE ACCESS MUST BE ASSURED BY DELIBERATE ACTIONS. ALL MILITARY STRATEGIES ARE KEY TO THE OVERALL GRAND STRATEGY OF THE STATE, BUT THE US MILITARY STRATEGY FOR SPACE HOLDS A SPECIAL DEGREE OF INFLUENCE UPON THE OVERALL SUCCESS OF US GRAND STRATEGY. THIS SPECIAL DEGREE OF INFLUENCE DERIVES FROM THE CHARACTERISTIC OFFENSIVE OMNIPRESENCE OF ORBITAL PLATFORMS; JUST AS THE ADVENT OF INTERCONTINENTAL MISSILE DELIVERY SYSTEMS ESTABLISHED THE OFFENSIVE OMNIPRESENT THREAT OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. AS SUCH, STRATEGISTS MUST TAKE SPECIAL CARE TO WEIGH NOT ONLY THE NECESSITIES OF THE MILITARY STRATEGY FOR SPACE, BUT ALSO THE BROADER IMPACT ON THE NATION'S GRAND STRATEGY. WHAT TYPE OF STRATEGY WOULD BEST ACHIEVE US SECURITY OBJECTIVES? SHOULD THE US ADOPT A LARGELY DEFENSIVE STRATEGY TO PROTECT ITS INTERESTS AND PRESERVE ITS ADVANTAGES OR DOES THE ADAGE “THE BEST DEFENSE IS A STRONG OFFENSE” HOLD TRUE FOR SPACE? THIS THESIS SEEKS TO INFORM MODERN-DAY SPACE STRATEGY DECISIONS THROUGH EXAMINATION OF HISTORICAL CASE STUDIES WHERE US STRATEGISTS AND DECISION MAKERS FACED SIMILAR HIGH STAKES NATIONAL SECURITY DECISIONS WITH UNCERTAIN OUTCOMES. ANALYSES OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESSES AND THE RESULTING CONSEQUENCES GIVE INSIGHT INTO THESE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AND MAY INFORMUS ON THE POTENTIAL ROAD AHEAD FOR SPACE. THREE HISTORICAL CASES ILLUSTRATE THE DYNAMICS OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESSES AS WELL AS THE ULTIMATE STRATEGIC CHOICES AND CONSEQUENCES. THESE CASES REVEAL HOW MILITARY SUPERIORITY STRATEGIES, FAITH IN, AND RELIANCE UPON TECHNOLOGY TO SOLVE COMPLEX NATIONAL SECURITY PROBLEMS, AND A STRONG PREFERENCE FOR OFFENSIVE SOLUTIONS AND POSITIVE ACTION TO SECURE US NATIONAL SECURITY CAN DRAMATICALLY PRODUCE THE OPPOSITE OF THEIR INTENDED EFFECT. THE EVIDENCE INFERS THAT THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR THE US TO ADOPT A MILITARY STRATEGY FOR SPACE (AND ACQUIRE WEAPONS TO SUPPORT ITS FULFILLMENT) THAT UNDERMINES US GRAND STRATEGY AND DELIVERS LESS SECURITY. THE THESIS CONCLUDES THAT GIVEN THE CURRENT CONTEXT, THE US IS BETTER OFF PUSHING THE STATUS QUO IN SPACE WITHOUT PERTURBING STRATEGIC STABILITY, WHICH WILL HELP RETAIN THE POLITICAL, MILITARY, AND ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES IT HAS WORKED SO HARD TO ACHIEVE.

The Defense Of The West
The Defense Of The West

Author: Robert Kennedy

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2019-07-11

Total Pages: 366

ISBN-13: 1000315835

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Drawing on their daily involvement with defense issues and their interactions with the military and political elements of the national security community, civilian and military defense analysts in the U.S. Army War Colleger Strategic Studies Institute offer a lucid analysis of the complex mosaic of strategic and European defense issues. Their contributions are probing, balanced, and provocative, designed for students of foreign and defense affairs, as well as for policymakers. In the first section of the book, the offensive and defensive aspects of the strategic balance between the United States and the Soviet Union are examined. Going beyond sterile, static weapons counts, the authors address the relationship between the overall disposition of military forces and deterrence and are attentive to possible future developments, including the impact of new technologies and changing Sino-Soviet relations that are likely to affect the U.S.-USSR relationship. The second section of the book focuses on crucial East-West defense issues within Europe: the balance of conventional and theater nuclear forces, prospects for European arms control, the impact of chemical weapons on deterrence and defense, and the fashioning of an effective nonnuclear NATO defense. The book concludes with a chapter that illuminates U.S.-West European historical and cultural divergences, explaining in a new way the political strains that frequently plague the alliance.