NAVALPOSTGRADUATESCHOOL
MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA
THESIS
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimitedJOINT STRIKE FIGHTER ACROSS THE ATLANTICTO UNIFY OR DIVIDE?
byScott W. ReinhardDecember 2006Thesis Advisor: Donald AbenheimSecond Reader: Rafael Biermann
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1. AGENCY USE ONLY
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2. REPORT DATE
December 2006
3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED
Master’s Thesis
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE
: Joint Strike Fighter Across the Atlantic: To Unify orDivide?
6. AUTHOR(S)
Scott W. Reinhard
5. FUNDING NUMBERS7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)
Naval Postgraduate SchoolMonterey, CA 93943-5000
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9. SPONSORING /MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)
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11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect the official policyor position of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government.
12a. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
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13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words)
This thesis examines the procurement of fighter aircraft as an indication of transatlantic relations. Specifically it asks if European rationale toward purchasing the Joint Strike Fighter indicates its position toward increasing military capabilities and theimportance placed on defense cooperation with the United States. Certain observers have suggested that the relentless U.S. pursuitof technology in the “Revolution in Military Affairs” has exacerbated the capabilities gap and encouraged the U.S. to actunilaterally. This thesis argues the JSF offers allies a means to circumvent recent damage done in the Atlantic Alliance. Through acase study of four countries “expected” to purchase the JSF to replace U.S.-made F-16 aircraft, this thesis concludes that rationalefor some who have heretofore abstained from the program is worrisome, but the
fact
that some are electing to pursue other choicesindicates further divergences in the transatlantic realm. Through the views of these countries and looking at the larger picture, theJSF will further divide Europe and the U.S. in defense relations, as the pursuit of military technology threatens to drive the U.S.away from multilateralism and toward a “buy our equipment or be left out” stance on the so-called network centric battlefield.
15. NUMBER OFPAGES
139
14. SUBJECT TERMS
Joint Strike Fighter; Transatlantic Relations; Capabilities Gap;Interoperability; NATO
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17. SECURITYCLASSIFICATION OFREPORT
Unclassified
18. SECURITYCLASSIFICATION OF THISPAGE
Unclassified
19. SECURITYCLASSIFICATION OFABSTRACT
Unclassified
20. LIMITATION OFABSTRACT
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Reinhard SW, Dec-2006. Joint Strike Fighter Across the Atlantic: To Unify or Divide?, Naval Postgraduate School
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