Military Nanotechnology: Potential Applications and Preventive Arms Control

Jurgen Altmann0415371023, 9780415371025, 9780203963791

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.

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Table of contents :
CONTENTS……Page 7
FIGURES……Page 9
Table……Page 10
PREFACE……Page 11
ABBREVIATIONS……Page 12
1.1 Nanotechnology: ‘The next industrial revolution”……Page 14
1.3 Some NT history……Page 15
1.4 Promises and risks of NT……Page 16
1.5 Previous writing on military uses of NT……Page 18
2.1 General aspects……Page 30
2.2 Molecular NT……Page 36
2.3 Convergence of nano-, bio-, information……Page 42
2.4 Areas of NT……Page 43
2.5 NT research and development……Page 44
2.6 Expected NT market……Page 48
3.1 USA……Page 49
3.2 Other countries……Page 74
3.3 International comparison of military NT efforts……Page 79
3.4 Perceptions driving an NT arms race?……Page 80
4.1 Military applications of NT……Page 82
4.2 Summary of military NT applications……Page 115
4.3 Potential military uses of molecular NT……Page 116
4.4 Countermeasures against military NT systems……Page 128
5.1 General considerations on preventive technology……Page 130
5.2 Preventive arms control: process and criteria……Page 135
5.3 Design of preventive limitations……Page 136
6.1 Applying the criteria to NT……Page 145
6.2 Preventive-arms-control criteria and molecular NT……Page 158
6.3 Summary evaluation……Page 162
6.4 Options for preventive limits on military NT……Page 165
6.5 Meta-aspects concerning preventive arms control……Page 186
7.2 Transparency and confidence-building measures……Page 188
7.3 Recommendations for further research……Page 191
7.4 Concluding thoughts……Page 193
APPENDIX 1 GENERAL NANOTECHNOLOGY……Page 198
APPENDIX 2 US DARPA NT-RELATED EFFORTS……Page 200
NOTES……Page 208
BIBLIOGRAPHY……Page 218
INDEX……Page 241