Science and Technology
in service of the warfare state

Science and Technology in Service of the Warfare State

The US Army's "Science and Technology Master Plan," an annual report outlining how the armed forces will develop, acquire, and field new technologies for warfare is one of the clearest explanations of how the militarization of the university promotes and produces war and the technologies to conduct it. According to the Army, "basic research (discovery and understanding) fosters progress and innovations in Army unique areas," and, "shapes research and technological innovations concerning issues related to Army applications and environment."(1 )

The military is quite frank about their control over scientific research in general, and university research specifically. The method by which the military most effectively controls academic research in the sciences is through the university single investigator program, although the Army and other armed services also fund university research through URIs (University Research Initiatives), and FFRDCs (Federally Funded Research and Development Centers.