Many defense and aerospace firms in the United States and other nations are quickly discovering what it takes to survive in a post-Cold War world--and it's not business as usual.
As a wave of articles in financial and trade publications is telling us, many defense contractors have responded to slackening demand by selling off peripheral or weak business lines (often to their stronger competitors); by attempting to redirect their military manufacturing capabilities to civilian projects; and, generally, by downsizing.
To twist a familiar phrase, defense companies are starting to worry and learning how not to love the bomb so much. During these times of turbulent transition, each defense company will be scrutinizing its scientific and technological base to determine how best to adapt to the new environment. While aircraft and weapons manufacturers are quintessential technology shops, technology is to some degree dependent on basic research and scientific expertise. The research ...
