United States defence contractors and the future of military operations

• Published in: Defense & security analysis Vol. 36; no. 2; pp. 180 - 200
• Main Author: Mahoney, Charles W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 02-04-2020; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Afghanistan War; Armed forces; Artificial intelligence; Companies; Contractors; Cyber operations; Defense contractors; Defense contracts; Defense industry; drones; Intelligence gathering; Military operations; Military strategy; outsourcing; private military and security companies; Private sector; Special forces; United States; Unmanned aerial vehicles; Warfare; Weapon systems; Weapons; United States > US; Afghanistan; Iraq
• ISSN: 1475-1798; 1475-1801
• DOI: 10.1080/14751798.2020.1750182

The United States' global strategic outlook has shifted markedly since the end of major combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. As the United States' strategic posture shifts, the nature of military operations is simultaneously changing rapidly. Many analysts predict that cyber-operations, autonomous weapons systems, artificial intelligence, and clandestine special forces operations will be central features in future conflicts. Although often overlooked by scholars and policy analysts, defence contractors are integral to the development and implementation of these emerging categories of warfare. This inquiry examines the evolving nature of the American defence industry and the roles corporations play in current theatres of conflict. Surprisingly, rather than becoming less reliant on defence contractors after their much-maligned performance in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, American military and intelligence agencies have become more dependent on the private sector as technology becomes increasingly central to warfare.