Military Technology Assessment

Technology is central to modern defense debates in the United States and globally. Its assessment underpins core functions across the defense policy and planning community, including budgeting, modernization, intelligence, campaign planning, force design, and program management. In the U.S., this work spans think tanks, Defense Department offices, Congressional and Service staffs, the intelligence community, and the defense industry. These assessments influence hundreds of billions in spending and carry life-and-death stakes in wartime.

The demand for analysts with the ability to assess military technology is high. Thousands perform or rely on this work, making it a critical and widely applicable skill for early- and mid-career professionals in the defense field.

This course prepares students for that work by introducing the fundamentals of military technology and its analysis in policymaking contexts. It does not assume prior technical background, nor is it an engineering course. Instead, it focuses on how technologies function and interact under design constraints, and how to assess their operational utility.

The course complements other SIPA security courses, especially The Conduct of War and Methods for Defense Policy Analysis. It does not cover broader strategic or policy debates, which are addressed elsewhere in the curriculum. While the course can stand alone, it is most useful when paired with related coursework.