Book Description

This publication presents the results of an intensive 11-month program for three military research fellows. The Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition) (USD (A)) chartered the Defense Systems Management College (DSMC) Military Research Fellowship Program in 1987. The program brings together selected officers from the Army, Navy, and Air Force for two primary purposes: first to provide advanced professional and military education for the participating officers; and second, to conduct research that will benefit the Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition community. This report focuses on transatlantic cooperative programs. Cooperation with Europe was chosen because of the important political, military, economic, and historical transatlantic ties, but most important, because America's relationship with Europe is rapidly evolving. There is substantial concern about a "Fortress America - Fortress Europe" syndrome. Political leaders and the public both here and in Europe are attempting to come to terms with the meaning of the NATO alliance in the post-Cold War era. European assertiveness and unity are clashing with dated perceptions about Europe held by Americans. Our intended audience is both the U.S. defense acquisition workforce and policy makers. For the former, we hoped to produce a useful guide that will make them more effective as members of a cooperative team. For the latter, we attempted to provide an updated comprehensive view of the salient features of transatlantic armaments cooperation and some ways in which the context is changing.