Technology transfer and U.S. national security policy: The Joint Strike Fighter

This is a dissertation about United States international technology transfer policy relating to the Department of Defense (DOD) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) weapons acquisition program. The research answers the question: Did the U.S. Government change its decision making technology transfer model for the JSF program based upon previous technology transfer experiences? The research is relevant, as the JSF program is the DOD's largest ever financial investment for a new weapons acquisition program. The research suggests that the U.S. government did change its decision-making interagency approach to international technology transfer, and developed a new JSF technology transfer approach. Employing a case study analysis from previous multinational fighter aircraft development programs involving the F-16, the Lavi and the FS-X (F-2) fighter development programs, the research investigates the pattern of governmental decision-making processes in these three technology transfer case studies. Using a largely qualitative theoretical approach employing Allison's Rational Actor, Organizational Process and Governmental Politics Models, the research determines what factors were successful in a given case leading to successful technology transfer, and those factors which did not in others. The research answers key questions on U.S. export control/technology transfer policy and the national security decision policy process. It also demonstrates that the Joint Strike Fighter program reflects a change in U.S. government international technology transfer processes.