OTHER APPROACHES TO CIVIL-MILITARY INTEGRATION: THE CHINESE AND

[David Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

U.S. CONGRESS
OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
Washington, DC  20510
*


*
OTHER APPROACHES TO CIVIL-MILITARY INTEGRATION:
THE CHINESE AND JAPANESE ARMS INDUSTRIES
*


The OTA background paper "Other Approaches to Civil-Military
Integration: The Chinese and Japanese Arms Industries" is
now available.  Ordering information and details about
electronic access are at the end of this file.


*
OTA EXAMINES CIVIL-MILITARY INTEGRATION IN BOTH
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND JAPAN
*


The integration of defense and commercial technology and
industry--often termed civil-military integration (CMI)--is
one way to preserve the U.S. defense capability in the face
of budget reductions. Under CMI, common technologies,
processes, labor, equipment, material, and/or facilities are
used to meet both defense and commercial needs.


A background paper released today by the congressional
Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) examines how the
People's Republic of China and Japan, two countries with
sizable defense industries, have succeeded in achieving
significant levels of CMI. It supplements the full report,
"Assessing the Potential for Civil-Military Integration,"
published in September 1994.


In that report, OTA found that successful implementation of
CMI in the United States requires a long-term commitment. It
involves careful design and planning of systems, components,
and subcomponents, and extends to all tiers and throughout
the planning and production process. Potential benefits are
significant, but will take time to accrue. Patience and a
steady effort are, therefore, paramount requirements for
successful CMI.


CMI efforts on the part of Japan and the People's Republic
of China are of interest because the two countries have
significant military-industrial capabilities in a region
that is of growing global economic importance. Both
countries have integrated their civil and military
technological infrastructures to various degrees.  Contrary
to some claims, differences between the Japanese and
American (and Chinese and American) military, political, and
economic situations greatly limit the potential for direct
application of Asian experiences to the American situation.
Nonetheless, some important lessons can be learned--
especially from the Japanese experience.  For example, the
reduced use of military specifications and standards that
have marked the American defense technology and industrial
base suggests that a reliance on high-quality production
from the commercial sector is possible.


The Asian cases also suggest that greater integration of the
research and development, and manufacturing of defense and
commercial goods is possible. In particular, says OTA, the
more fundamental the technology, the easier it is to
integrate. In addition, the Japanese experience reinforces
the observation that it is easier to integrate the
manufacturing of components and subcomponents (e.g.,
composites and computer chips) than it is to integrate the
assembly of entire systems (e.g., commercial and high-
performance aircraft). Along these lines, too, the more
basic processes may be more amenable to integration. This
involves not only the production of components, but also
their initial design.


The Japanese case suggests that there are many component
technologies and processes that are not truly unique, says
OTA. As seen in Japan and the PRC, regardless of the level
of technological sophistication, many technologies,
particularly those at the lower tiers, have dual use
potential. Too often, militarily unique technologies are
cited as a reason for military specifications, considered
necessary for their production.


Both Asian cases indicate that CMI is not cost-free.  The
political, economic, social and historical contexts of the
American and Asian cases are very different. It is therefore
unlikely that the American system would support the
ambiguity inherent in the commercial use of public
facilities and, more importantly, of public resources.


OTA is a nonpartisan analytical agency that serves the U.S.
Congress.  Its purpose is to aid Congress with the complex
and often highly technical issues that increasingly affect
our society.


For copies of the 52-page background paper "Other Approaches
to Civil-Military Integration: The Chinese and Japanese Arms
Industries" for congressional use, please call (202) 224-
9241.  Copies for noncongressional use are available from
the Superintendent of Documents for $3.75 each.  To order,
call (202) 512-0132 (GPO's main bookstore) or (202) 512-1800
and indicate stock GPO stock number number 052-003-01408-4.
Or send your check for $3.75 a copy or provide your VISA or
MasterCard number and expiration date to:  Superintendent of
Documents, PO Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA, 15250-7974, [FAX
(202) 512-2250].  Federal Express service is available for
an additional $8.50 per order.


Readers can access the background paper and the report
electronically through OTA Online via the following standard
Internet tools:


WWW:  http://www.ota.gov


FTP:  otabbs.ota.gov; login as anonymous, password is your
      e-mail address; the background paper is in the
      /pub/civmil.asia directory and the full report is
      in the /pub/civil.military.integration directory


Telnet: otabbs.ota.gov; login as public, password is public


Additional features of OTA Online are available through
client software with a graphical user interface for
Microsoft Windows.  This software is available free through
the WWW home page or by contacting the OTA
Telecommunications and Information Systems Office, (202)
228-6000, or email sysop () ota gov  Direct questions or
comments on Internet services by email to netsupport () ota gov


The electronic file names and sizes are:


01README.TXT        (2K)
CH1A.TXT            (65K)
CH1B.TXT            (76K)
FOREWORD.TXT        (3K)
ORDER.INFO.TXT      (4K)
PREFACE.TXT         (6K)
REVIEWER.TXT        (1K)
STAFF.TXT           (1K)
TOC.TXT             (1K)