The U.S. Defense Industry and Civil Sector’s Сooperation in Technological Innovation: History and Current Trends
Military industrial complex played a leading role in technological development during several post-World War II decades in all major economies. Many technological innovations became possible primarily because of a generous financial and organization support from the government. Large defense contracts facilitated an establishment and a rapid growth of high-tech industries (information and communication industry, in particular), and an accelerated transfer of advanced technologies from defense to civil sector of the economy. However, the last two decades have seen a clear reverse trend: military industrial complex in the leading developed countries has become increasingly dependent on different innovation products and solutions generated by non-defense private companies. This paper examines the main determinants and factors which influenced this process with the example of the United States. Special attention is paid to demonstrating a transformation of technological innovation cooperation between the key players in the defense and civil sectors of the U.S. economy, including defense acquisition reforms and emergence of new mechanisms of public-private partnerships between defense and civil companies in the implementation of long-term collaborative projects.