Policy implications of the Strategic Defense Initiative

Miscellaneous · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:7161709

Goodwin, R C

Specific topics include: the technological feasibility of proposed components and architectures; the compatibility of the proposed systems with existing and proposed arms control agreements, with special emphasis upon the ABM Treaty, Outer Space Treaty, the Defense and Space Treaty, and the START Treaty; the compatibility of proposed systems with classical warfare doctrine and the four modern strategic nuclear doctrines of Massive Retaliation, Assured Destruction, Countervailing and Flexible Response; the economics of strategic defense including an assessment of overall governmental spending, of the suballocation for defense, and of the feasibility of defensive systems which are cost-effective at the margin; and, in summary, an assessment of the New Strategic Concept which balances arms control, offensive forces, and defensive forces. This study falls within the realm of defense policy analysis in that it attempts to determine whether the administration's proposed Strategic Defense Initiative, as well as the long-term strategic defensive systems derived from SDI research, constitute efficient, desirable allocation of scarce government resources - especially in a period of seemingly relaxed superpower tensions and numerous demands upon those resources.

• Research Organization: Alabama Univ., Huntsville, AL (United States)
• OSTI ID: 7161709
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE
MISSION ANALYSIS
NATIONAL DEFENSE
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
ARMS CONTROL
EVALUATION
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
MANAGEMENT
450500* - Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense- Strategic Defense Initiative- (1990-)
350100 - Arms Control- Policy
Negotiations
& Legislation- (1987-)