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STS.073, STS.421 The Science, Technology, and Politics of Weapons Systems Procurement

Handouts:

Class #1 Wednesday, September 6, 2006
1. Course Syllabus
2. Science, SDI and Democracy (article)
3. Research, Development, and Procurement of Weapon Systems (slides)
4. "Major arms soar to twice pre-9/11 cost" (article)
5. Military-Industrial Complex Speech (article)

Class #2 Wednesday, September 13, 2006
1. The Impact of Accuracy in Modern Military Operations (slides)
2. Some Preliminary Observations About the Utility of Advanced Technologies in Military Applications (slides)

Class #3 Wednesday, September 20, 2006
1. The Impact of Accuracy in Modern Military Operations (slides) *REVISED version*

Class #4 Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Class #5 Wednesday, October 4, 2006

Class #6 Wednesday, October 11, 2006
1. Understanding Aspects of Warfare: The Lanchester Equations (slides)

Class #7 Wednesday, October 18, 2006
1. News of the Week, starts with "Restraints Fray and Risks Grow as Nuclear Club Gains Members" (article)
2. North Korea Primer (article)
3. Search and Attrition in the Context of Military Operations (slides)
4. Ground Zero, D.C. (article)
5. Defense missile laser sits idle at White Sands (article)
6. Targeting (article)

Class #8 Wednesday, October 25, 2006
1. Defense Research and Development (slides)
2. US Marines Submit 2006 Wish List (article)
3. US Defense Labs Brace for a Blast from Their Bosses (article)
4. Defense Laboratories and Military Capability: Headed for a BRACdown? (article)
5. Defense Science and Technology (article)
6. Strategic Military Technology Policy and Murphy's Law (article)

Class #9 Wednesday, November 1, 2006
1. The Acquisition Process: What has gone wrong? (slides)
2. Cunningham helped contractors, report says (article)
3. "Smart" weapons were overrated, study concludes (article)
4. Military Pitchmen Took US for Ride on "Smart" Weapons (article)
5. Paying the Price (article)
6. Reaching New Heights (article)
7. Defense Industry Initiative on Business Ethic and Conduct (article)
8. GAO Best Practices (article)
9. Ballistic Missile Defense Reorganization and its Impact on Oversight (article)
10. What has 35 Years of Acquisition Reform Accomplished? (article)
11. US hails airborne laser as weapon milestone (article)
12. Despite Record Spending, War 'Drifting Sideways" (article)
13. Defense Spending Cuts Unlikely Under Democrats: Experts (article)
14. Congress Slows USAF Cutbacks on Aircraft (article)
15. Governments struggle to keep the lid on costs (article)
16. Contractor's rise shows blurred government, industry lines (article)
17. Definition of Technology Readiness Levels (slide)
18. The Plane That Won't Die (article)
19. For the Osprey Hybrid Aircraft, Zigzags to Cap 20 Years of Zigzags (article)

Class #10 Wednesday, November 8, 2006
1. Congress Tells Auditor in Iraq to Close Office (article)
2. Can Pork Be Stopped? (article)
3. Challenging Pentagon politics (article)

Class #11 Wednesday, November 15, 2006
1. Statement of: General Robert T. Marsh (article)
2. Current Practices: Technology Readiness Levels (slides)
3. Technology Readiness: The Case of Airborne Laser (ABL) (slides)
4. Foreign Sales by US Arms Makers Doubled in a Year (article)
5. US Rep. Neil Abercrombie (article)

Class #12 Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Guest Lecturer- No Handouts

Class #13 Wednesday, November 29, 2006
1. Boeing Rolls Out Airborne Laser (article)
2. US Air Force's New Tilt-Rotor (article)
3. Red-Hot Fighter, Trail of Deception (article)

Class #14 Wednesday, December 6, 2006
1. MX-CNO Briefing (slides)

Class #15 Wednesday, December 13, 2006
1. Free To A Good Country (article)
2. Billions Later, Plan to Remake The Coast Guard Fleet Stumbles (article)
3. EU Renews Focus (article)
4. Sample Final Exam questions

Supplemental Readings

Massachusetts Institute of Technology • Program in Science, Technology and Society

Science, Technology and Global Security Working Group

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