PA 345: Defense and Intelligence Technology [63889] Note: meets with a PA 388K
Instructor: Dr. Jeff Rogg / Wednesday 2:00-5:00pm / 5 seats
The purpose of this course is to help prepare students to enter or engage with both the public and private sector sides of intelligence and defense technology. Technology is inseparable from intelligence and national defense. This is particularly true for the United States, which has historically relied on emerging technology as a cornerstone of its military power and intelligence system. Today, policymakers, practitioners, private sector entrepreneurs, and national security scholars are warning that the United States has not only lost its technological edge but also the industrial base to support it. While debates rage over what to do or where to invest, there is almost unanimous agreement that any response will require a “whole-of-nation” effort. This course is a contribution to that “whole-of-nation” effort. The course will build upon a comprehensive foundation grounded in history, theory, policy, and practice. Students will learn about core concepts relating to technological innovation and adaption, including revolutions in military and intelligence affairs, as well as the role of technology in shaping the contemporary U.S. national security system. The course will examine several specific emerging technologies that are shaping the future of U.S. national security—from space and cyber to AI and autonomous systems. The course will also introduce students to the business side of national security, including administrative agencies, regulatory frameworks, and acquisitions and contracting. Finally, students will wrestle with the difficult ethical and constitutional questions that accompany assimilating disruptive military and intelligence technology into the U.S. political system and American way of life.