Economic and security matters dominate the transatlantic partnership. The transatlantic partners have undergone a strategic shift in having fewer soldiers and instead using their innovative capacity and its productivity advantage to gain a strategic advantage against potential enemies. However, the research and development necessary to defend this technological advantage becomes more costly with every innovation cycle. Future systems might become so costly that even a country the size of the United States will be unable to afford them. At the same time, defense and security companies seek their technological advantage in more narrowly defined niches so that it often takes a joint venture to create a new leading security system. Yet, these joint ventures encounter various problems such as protectionism and the political tendency for a nationalistic technology policy - particularly if they combine companies from several (allied) countries. Analyzing the development of security and defense systems - which are so vital in successfully confronting the security challenges around the world - is often neglected.

With the generous support of DGroup, AICGS is undertaking a project that examines potential transatlantic cooperation in researching and developing these future security and defense systems. AICGS Senior Non-Resident Fellow Alexander Ritzmann, a German expert on foreign and security policy, will analyze previous transatlantic cooperation in this field, determining the factors leading to the successes and failures. Furthermore, he will examine the political and legal framework in the U.S. and Europe and its impact on potential cooperation. His findings will be detailed in an AICGS Policy Report and will conclude with concrete policy recommendations to increase transatlantic cooperation in this vital area.

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AICGS is grateful to DGroup for its support of this project.

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