This book, originally published in 1969, discusses the development of the complex relationships between science and technology and warfare from the Renaissance to the 1960s. The nature of warfare has always been largely determined by contemporary technology. Instances of technological change undertaken for the sake of military advantage have also been relatively common in history. The relationships between science and warfare however have been much more variable and ambiguous. "Science, Technology, and Warfare" requires a fourth term to be complete "Management " because the primary military innovator never has been the scientist, technologist, or soldier, but rather the administrative "organizer of victory."

This book presents distinctive perspectives and voices concerning the nature, utility, and limitations of science and technology in national security, as well as outlining the nature of science and technology’s interdependency with military operations. These dialogues are particularly timely during this period of transition for the US military in which these implicit ideas are molding the Army Futures Command and similar other service agencies. The design decisions being made to equip, train, educate, deploy, and lead the future force need wisdom from experienced scientists, engineers, and innovators. This book addresses fundamental issues such as the relationship between scientific advances and technological innovation and the roles of science and technology in a modern society and the military.

In this book, historians of technology bring their special expertise to probing the influence of the military on technological development over a broad range of history and in a variety of cases.

The growth of American engineering and science has affected military technology, organization, and practice from the colonial era to the present day—even as military concerns have influenced, and often funded, domestic engineering programs and scientific development. American Military Technology traces the interplay of technology and science with the armed forces of the United States in terms of what Hacker and Vining view as epochs: 1840–1865, the introduction of modern small arms, steam power, and technology, science, and medicine; 1900–1914, the naval arms race, torpedoes and submarines, and the signal corps and the airplane; and 1965–1971, McNamara's Pentagon, technology in Vietnam, guided missiles, and smart bombs. The book is an excellent springboard for understanding the complex relationship of science, technology, and war in American history.

In a rapidly changing world, there needs to be a critical reappraisal of traditional military/industry relationships. This book, packed with data, industry-specific case studies, and sophisticated analysis, is such an appraisal. It will be required reading for technology managers and policymakers in industry and government, as well as those concerned with technological and economic competitiveness.

The inherent advantages and potential payoffs of the terahertz (THz) regime for military and security applications serve as an important driver for interest in new THz-related science and technology. In particular, the very rapid growth in more recent years is arguably most closely linked to the potential payoffs of THz sensing and imaging (THz-S&I). This book presents some of the leading fundamental research efforts towards the realization of practical THz-S&I capabilities for military and security applications. Relevant subjects include theoretical prediction and/or measurement of THz spectroscopic phenomenon in solid-state materials such as high explosives (e.g. HMX, PETN, RDX, TNT, etc.), carbon-fiber composites, biological agents (e.g. DNA, RNA, proteins, amino acids) and organic-semiconductor nanostructures. Individual papers also address the effective utilization of state-of-the-art THz-frequency technology in military and security relevant scenarios such as standoff S&I, screening of packages and personnel, and perimeter defense. Technical papers introduce novel devices and/or concepts that enhance THz source and detector performance, enabling completely new types of sensor functionality at THz frequency (e.g. detection at nanoscale/molecular levels), and defining new and innovative sensing modalities (e.g. remote personnel identification) for defense and security. Therefore, the collective research presented here represents a valuable source of information on the evolving field of THz-S&I for military and security applications. Sample Chapter(s). Foreword (106 KB). Chapter 1: Development of Computational Methodologies for the Prediction and Analysis of Solid-State Terahertz Spectra (1,347 KB). Contents: Fire Damage on Carbon Fiber Materials Characterized by THz Waves (N Karpowicz et al.); Fingerprinting Insulins in the Spectral Region from Mid-IR to THz (R Song et al.); Ambient Air Used as the Nonlinear Media for THz Wave Generation (X Xie et al.); Time Domain Terahertz Imaging of Threats in Luggage and Personnel (D Zimdars et al.); Designed Self-Organization for Molecular Optoelectronic Sensors (M Norton); An Optically-Triggered I-RTD Hybrid THz Oscillator Design (D Woolard et al.); New Technique to Suppress Sidelobe Clutter in Perimeter Security Systems (G W Webb et al.); Remote Identification of Foreign Subjects (A Sokolnikov); and other papers. Readership: University researchers in electrical engineering, physics, chemistry, biology; students and small business efforts in high-frequency electronics and sensors; as a supplement for graduate courses.