Description
In an era of US-China technological competition and rapidly evolving security threats, NATO, the EU, and Japan are also intensifying efforts to advance defense innovation to maintain military-technological superiority over potential adversaries. It is assumed that the world is likely to be split into two technological camps, one centered around the US and the other around China. Is this bifurcation a useful framework to understand the current dynamics in defense innovation? Are NATO, the EU, and Japan in the US camp? The objective of this research has two levels. The systemic-level aim is to validate this assumption and the unit-level aim is to examine the drivers, players, characteristics of, and approach to defense innovation by three actors: NATO, the EU, and Japan. The structure of this research is based on the why-who-what-how framework. It argues that the three actors play a vital role as a defense entrepreneur and an equal partner alongside others in the defense ecosystem.
