History and deployment of smart weaponsIn the United States, efforts to develop precision guided munitions—PGMs—began during the First World War and resulted in an 'aerial torpedo' by the 1920s. While World War II was dominated by large-scale strategic bombing—essentially throwing out tons of free-falling munitions in the hope they hit something important—both sides in the war worked to develop airborne munitions that could be steered toward a target. However after that war, U.S. national security policy focused on the atomic bomb, hardly a weapon that needed to be directed with accuracy. The cost of emphasis on atomic weapons was revealed in the general unsuitability of American tactics and weapons deployment systems during the Vietnam War. Lessons learned in that conflict, coupled with rapid technological developments in aerodynamics, lasers, and solid-state electronics, brought air power dramatically closer to the "surgical strike" now seen as crucial to modern warfare. New technology created attractive choices and options for American policymakers as well as field commanders, and events in the Arab-Israeli wars, the U.S. raid on Libya, and most dramatically in the first Gulf War created an ever-increasing demand for the precision weapons. The prospect of pinpoint delivery of weapons right to the enemy's door by speeding aircraft seems to presage war in which the messy and politically risky deployment of ground troops is unnecessary. The potential of such weapons, and their strategic limitations, made the Gulf War and Iraqi War living theater for assessing what such weapons can and cannot do and have important implications for planning for future warfare.

The agencies within the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) depend on advanced technology to achieve their goals. While AI, cloud computing, advanced sensors, and big data analytics will fundamentally change both the global threat landscape and IC tradecraft, advances from biology, chemistry, materials, quantum science, network science, social/behavioral/economic sciences, and other fields also have that potential. Maintaining awareness of advances in science and technology is more essential than ever, to avoid surprise, to inflict surprise on adversaries, and to leverage those advances for the benefit of the nation and the IC. This report explores ways in which the IC might leverage the future research and development ecosystem. Table of Contents Front Matter Summary 1 Introduction 2 A Vision for Strengthening the IC's Ability to Leverage S&T 3 Leveraging the S&T Activities of Other Federal Agencies 4 Leveraging Expertise from the Full U.S. S&T Ecosystem 5 Leveraging the Global S&T Community Appendixes Appendix A: Leveraging the Future Research and Development Ecosystem for the Intelligence Community by the U.S. Research Community: Proceedings of a Workshop - in Brief Appendix B: Leveraging the Future Research and Development Ecosystem for the Intelligence Community - Understanding the International Aspect of the Landscape: Proceedings of a Workshop - in Brief Appendix C: Acronyms and Abbreviations Appendix D: Committee Member Biographical Information

One man's truth. A nation's downfall.Speedbird 117, a Boeing 787 flight to New York, takes off like any other flight from Heathrow. Except this plane will never reach its destination. The cause? Taher, an utterly ruthless terrorist with a score to settle. With the country's Secret Service on red alert, senior analyst Stephen Holm is given an ultimatum: find Taher, confiscate his devastating surface-to-air missiles and bring him to justice, or witness his nation's descent into disaster. Rebecca da Silva, meanwhile, accepts a seemingly routine job in the Philippines for a wealthy businessman. Little does she know that this will set a course in motion that she is unable to stop, a course that leads, inevitably, to Taher. With time running out, Holm and da Silva must work together: failure is not an option. An absolutely scintillating thriller from bestseller Mark Sennen, perfect for fans of James Deegan, Mark Greaney and James Swallow. Praise for Rogue Target 'One of the best spy thrillers I've read in a long time ... literally unputdownable' Nick Oldham, author of the Henry Christie thrillers 'A brilliantly executed, addictive read, and one that hits the bullseye straight smack bang in the middle as to what to expect from a great modern-day spy thriller. I was hooked from the first page' A. A. Chaudhuri, author of The Scribe 'A cracking thriller that had me turning the pages at full tilt' Jason Dean, author of the James Bishop thrillers

In May of 1970, two government ministers were dismissed from Cabinet for allegedly purchasing guns for the IRA. The Taoiseach Jack Lynch disavowed any knowledge of the plot. Few believed him. Charles Haughey, Minister for Finance, a captain in Irish military intelligence along with two others were put on trial. All were acquitted. Haughey refused to talk about the crisis for the rest of his life. Fianna Fail endured decades of splits, turmoil and leadership heaves. Until now, no one has revealed the pivotal role of an IRA informer in the affair. The part he played became the best-kept State secret of the last half-century. The book also reveals a dirty tricks campaign by Britain's Foreign Office to conceal the ancillary role of a British agent called Capt. Markham-Randall in the murder of Garda Richard Fallon on the eve of the eruption of the Arms Crisis.