Military Nanotechnology: Potential Applications and Preventive Arms Control

by Altmann; Jnrgen

• ISBN13: 9780415371025
• ISBN10: 0415371023
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-02-09
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This book is the first systematic and comprehensive presentation of the potential military applications of nanotechnology (NT). After a thorough introduction and overview of nanotechnology and its history, it presents the actual military NT R&D in the USA and gives a systematic description of the potential military applications of NT that may include in 10-20 years extremely small computers, miniature sensors, lighter and stronger materials in vehicles and weapons, autonomous systems of many sizes and implants in soldiers' bodies. These potential applications are assessed 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. Although some applications (e.g. sensors for biological-warfare agents) could contribute to better protection against terrorist attacks or to better verification of compliance witharms-control treaties, several potential uses, like metal-free firearms, small missiles or implants and other body manipulation raise strong concerns. For preventive limitation of these potentially dangerous applications of NT, specific approaches are proposed that balance positive civilian uses and take into account verification of compliance. This book will be of much interest to students of strategic studies, peace studies, conflict resolution and international security, as well as specialists in the fields of military technology and chemical-biological weapons.

Table of Contents

List of figures	ix
List of tables	x
Preface	xii
Abbreviations	xiii
1 Introduction	1	(18)
1.1 Nanotechnology: The next industrial revolution'	1	(1)
1.2 Goals and overview of the study	2	(1)
1.3 Some NT history	2	(1)
1.4 Promises and risks of NT	3	(4)
1.5 Previous writing on military uses of NT	7	(12)
2 Overview of nanotechnology	19	(19)
2.1 General aspects	19	(6)
2.2 Molecular NT	25	(6)
2.3 Convergence of nano-, bio-, information and cognitive sciences and technology	31	(1)
2.4 Areas of NT	32	(1)
2.5 NT research and development	32	(5)
2.6 Expected NT market	37	(1)
3 Military efforts for nanotechnology	38	(33)
3.1 USA	38	(25)
3.2 Other countries	63	(5)
3.3 International comparison of military NT efforts	68	(1)
3.4 Perceptions driving an NT arms race?	69	(2)
4 Potential military applications of nanotechnology	71	(48)
4.1 Military applications of NT	71	(33)
4.2 Summary of military NT Applications	104	(1)
4.3 Potential military uses of molecular NT	105	(12)
4.4 Countermeasures against military NT systems	117	(2)
5 Preventive arms control: concept and design	119	(15)
5.1 General considerations on preventive technology limits	119	(5)
5.2 Preventive arms control: process and criteria	124	(1)
5.3 Design of preventive limitations	125	(9)
6 Preventive arms control considerations for nanotechnology	134	(43)
6.1 Applying the criteria to NT	134	(13)
6.2 Preventive-arms-control criteria and molecular NT	147	(4)
6.3 Summary evaluation	151	(3)
6.4 Options for preventive limits on military NT	154	(21)
6.5 Meta-aspects concerning preventive arms control	175	(2)
7 Conclusions and recommendations	177	(10)
7.1 Recommendations for preventive-arms-control action for nanotechnology	177	(1)
7.2 Transparency and confidence-building measures	177	(3)
7.3 Recommendations for further research	180	(2)
7.4 Concluding thoughts	182	(5)
Appendix 1 General nanotechnology literature	187	(2)
Appendix 2 US DARPA NT-related efforts	189	(8)
Notes	197	(10)
Bibliography	207	(23)
Index	230