This project investigates the social implications of three technology transfers between the United States and the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). Particularly, it examines how those military technologies, the Arrow missile defense shield, Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems have shaped Israeli security policy and social and political attitudes toward conflict.
Intellectual Merits
Such research will illuminate how military planning and conceptions of security are not simply defined by political objectives, but are constantly shaped and constrained by technology. In addition, analyzing the interaction between military weapons systems, security objectives, and social/engineering values provides a more complete understanding of how security doctrines are constructed, negotiated, and maintained over time.
Broader Impacts
The broader impact of such a study includes a better understanding of the actors and agents that constitute military technology transfers. In addition, such an inquiry helps reveal the different cultural approaches between the United States and Israel involved in engineering military weapons systems. The project will interest those who study science and technology policy as well as those interested in international relations.
