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With revolutionary changes in nanotechnology (NT) now on the
horizon, many countries have started major research and development
(R&D) programmes, which are mainly civilian. Often overlooked
are military R&D programmes - in particular those of the US
government. This is the first systematic and comprehensive
presentation of the potential military applications of NT. In ten
to twenty years, these applications may include extremely small
computers, robots, missiles, satellites, launchers and sensors.
They may also provide lighter and stronger materials for vehicles
and weapons, implants in soldiers' bodies, metal-free firearms,
autonomous fighting systems, and smaller chemical and biological
weapons. These potential uses raise strong concerns. This
assessment is made from a viewpoint of international security,
considering the new criteria of dangers for arms control and the
international law of warfare, dangers for stability through
potential new arms races and proliferation, and dangers for humans
and society. Some military applications, such as computers, will be
so close to civilian uses that limits are impractical. Others, such
as sensors for biological-warfare agents, may contribute to
stronger protection against terrorist attacks and better
verification of compliance with arms-control treaties. For
preventive limitation of these new technologies, specific
approaches are proposed that balance positive civilian uses and
take into account verification of compliance, with a view to
international peace and security, not national military strength.
This book will be of great interest to scholars of military
technology, non-lethal weapons, disarmament and security studies in
general.
Anybody concerned about the maintenance of peace in our world, and
in prospects of reaching agreements on arms control and
disarmament, is bound to be interested in one of the key
pre-conditions for related international treaties: the verification
of compliance with such treaties. This book presents an up-to-date
exposition of the latest developments in science and practice of
international verification. It contains an account of the
experience with new practical results of scientific research,
devoted to solving verification problems in areas where agreements
have not yet been concluded. The authors are scientists and
practitioners from governments and research institutes in East and
West. This book is required reading for anybody interested in the
field: especially for decision-makers, government and military
experts, natural scientists, technologists, those working in
political and historical science. Among the topics covered are: INF
Treaty, nuclear test ban, control of mobile missiles, and fissile
material, demilitarization of space, stability and reductions of
conventional forces, ban on chemical weapons. From the Reviews:
""Verfication of Arms " "Reductions" is packed with information and
analysis which is vital for arms-control students, negotiators and
other practitioners. The strength of the book lies in the science
and technology contributions, but there are comprehensive political
analyses also which have been written for longevity and are
unlikely to become dated too quickly."
With revolutionary changes in nanotechnology (NT) now on the
horizon, many countries have started major research and development
(R&D) programmes, which are mainly civilian. Often overlooked
are military R&D programmes - in particular those of the US
government. This is the first systematic and comprehensive
presentation of the potential military applications of NT. In ten
to twenty years, these applications may include extremely small
computers, robots, missiles, satellites, launchers and sensors.
They may also provide lighter and stronger materials for vehicles
and weapons, implants in soldiers' bodies, metal-free firearms,
autonomous fighting systems, and smaller chemical and biological
weapons. These potential uses raise strong concerns. This
assessment is made from a viewpoint of international security,
considering the new criteria of dangers for arms control and the
international law of warfare, dangers for stability through
potential new arms races and proliferation, and dangers for humans
and society. Some military applications, such as computers, will be
so close to civilian uses that limits are impractical. Others, such
as sensors for biological-warfare agents, may contribute to
stronger protection against terrorist attacks and better
verification of compliance with arms-control treaties. For
preventive limitation of these new technologies, specific
approaches are proposed that balance positive civilian uses and
take into account verification of compliance, with a view to
international peace and security, not national military strength.
This book will be of great interest to scholars of military
technology, non-lethal weapons, disarmament and security studies in
general.
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