000 04717cam a2200445 i 4500
001 rnd000000000093451
003 RAND
008 990428s1999 caua b 000 0 eng d
010 _a 99025786
020 _a0833027093
027 _aRAND/MR-1029-DARPA
035 _a(Sirsi) a409880
037 _c$30.00
040 _aCstmoR
_cCstmoR
043 _an-us---
050 0 0 _aU104
_b.H89 1999
100 1 _aHundley, Richard O.
_eauthor.
245 1 0 _aPast revolutions, future transformations :
_bwhat can the history of revolutions in military affairs tell us about transforming the U.S. military? /
_cRichard O. Hundley.
264 1 _aSanta Monica, CA :
_bRAND,
_c1999.
300 _axxv, 99 pages :
_billustrations ;
_c23 cm
336 _atext
_btxt
_2rdacontent
337 _acomputer
_bc
_2rdamedia
337 _aunmediated
_bn
_2rdamedia
338 _aonline resource
_bcr
_2rdacarrier
338 _avolume
_bnc
_2rdacarrier
500 _a"National Defense Research Institute."
504 _aIncludes bibliographical references (p. 91-99).
505 0 _aIntroduction --Part 1: Lessons from Past RMAs -- The Characteristics of Revolutions in Military Affairs -- The Breakthough Process Leading to RMAs --Part 2: Being Prepared for Future RMAs (Carried out by Others) -- Being Aware of the Next RMA: the Observables of the Emergence of New RMAs -- Being Responsive to the Next RMA: the Characteristics of a Future-Oriented Military Organization --Part 3: Bringing About Future RMAs (Of Your Own) -- What Does It Take to Bring About a Successful RMA? -- DOD'S Current Force Transformation Activities: Does Anything Appear to Be Missing? What Can Be Done to Fill in the Missing Elements? -- Bibliography.
520 _aAdvances in technology can bring about dramatic changes in military operations, often termed "revolutions in military affairs" or RMAs. Such technology-driven changes in military operations are not merely a recent phenomenon: they have been occurring since the dawn of history, they will continue to occur in the future, and they will continue to bestow a military advantage on the first nation to develop and use them. Accordingly, it is important to the continued vitality and robustness of the U.S. defense posture for the DoD R&D community to be aware of technology developments that could revolutionize military operations in the future, and for the U.S. military services to be on the lookout for revolutionary ways in which to employ those technologies in warfare. This report examines the history of past RMAs, to see what can be learned from them regarding the challenge confronting the DoD today, when it has set out on a concerted effort to bring about a technology-driven transformation of the U.S. military to achieve the operational goals outlined in Joint Vision 2010. Among its many findings are three of particular note: RMAs are rarely brought about by dominant players (such as the U.S. military is today). For a dominant player to bring about an RMA requires a receptive organizational climate, fostering a continually refined vision of how war may change in the future and encouraging vigorous debate regarding the future of the organization; senior officers with traditional credentials willing to sponsor new ways of doing things and able to establish new promotion pathways for junior officers practicing a new way of war; mechanisms for experimentation, to discover, learn, test and demonstrate new ideas; and ways of responding positively to the results of successful experiments, in terms of doctrinal changes, acquisition programs, and force structure modifications. The DoD has some of these elements today, but is missing others. The report makes specific suggestions regarding ways of filling in the missing elements. Doing these things will facilitate DoD's force transformation activities and help ensure that the next RMA is brought about by the United States. and not some other nation.
530 _aAlso available in Chinese from the publisher (Taipei, Taiwan : Ministry of National Defense).
530 _aAlso available on the internet via WWW in PDF format.
650 0 _aMilitary art and science
_xTechnological innovations
_xHistory
_y20th century.
650 0 _aMilitary art and science
_xTechnological innovations.
650 0 _aMilitary planning
_xHistory
_y20th century.
651 0 _aUnited States
_xArmed Forces
_xOrganization.
651 0 _aUnited States
_xMilitary policy.
710 2 _aRand Corporation.
710 1 _aUnited States.
_bDefense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
710 2 _aNational Defense Research Institute (U.S.).
_bAcquisition and Technology Policy Center.
856 4 1 _yOnline Access
_uhttp://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1029/
999 _c599218
_d599218