Oct. 1, 2002

Effects-Based Operations: Building the Analytic Tools

This paper describes effects-based operations (EBO), an effort to leverage American military and technical might with enormous advantages in computation, information, and analysis in order to achieve political-military outcomes in a new strategic environment.

Oct. 1, 2002

High-Energy Lasers: Technical, Operational, and Policy Issues

This paper considers the unique and promising attributes of high energy laser (HEL) weapon systems and examines the technical challenges, at both the system and component level, that need to be overcome for an HEL to be competitive against alternative weapon systems. The policy and operational challenges are also highlighted.

Aug. 1, 2002

Computer Simulation and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty

The authors believe that the ASCI (Accelerated Strategic Computing Initiative) computational capabilities will enable nuclear weapon designers to draw on archived data from more than 1,000 nuclear tests to adapt proven designs to future mission requirements. Furthermore, through extensive computer modeling and nonnuclear testing, new nuclear weapons could be designed and introduced into the stockpile, so long as the new weapons used design concepts similar to those proven in nuclear tests.

Aug. 1, 2002

The Virtual Border: Countering Seaborne Container Terrorism

This paper discusses the implementation of a virtual border security program that reduces the risk of terrorism form seaborne containers beginning at their foreign point of origin. The authors explain the container domain, means of detection of various container threats, and ways to implement security measures.

Aug. 1, 2002

Biological Weapons: Toward a Threat Reduction Strategy

The authors discuss the threat of biological weapons to military forces and operations and outline the connection of biologicla weapons to the homeland security challenge.

Aug. 1, 2002

Transforming America’s Military

Transforming America’s Military, edited by Hans Binnendijk. This book explores the issues that face the U.S. military in a time of transformation: new missions, new technologies, efforts by each of the Services, on the part of our allies, as well as the challenges we face after September 11.

June 1, 2002

Toward Missile Defenses from the Sea

The authors argue for the sea basing of national defenses against intercontinental ballistic missiles and for the construction of a new type of ship designed solely for that purpose.

April 1, 2002

Relevancy and Risk: The U.S. Army and Future Combat Systems

The authors provide recommendations in the development of initial versions of FCS for low-intensity conflicts as technologies mature and evaluates the Army’s goals for transformation.

April 1, 2002

The Airborne Laser from Theory to Reality: An Insider’s Account

Albert Einstein spent World War I in Berlin, where he developed a theory that described electromagnetic radiation in equilibrium with atoms that could emit and absorb radiation. The innovation in Einstein’s work, which was published in 1916 and 1917, was that he used the newly developed quantum theory to obtain his results.

April 1, 2002

Computer Games and the Military: Two Views

J.C. Herz provides an industry look at gaming technology and culture and suggests ways in which commercial experience can be applied to the military; Michael Macedonia responds to Herz’s analysis and provides a military gamer’s perspective on computer games and the military.