Ford, Matthew and Gould, Alexander (2018) Military identities, conventional capability and the politics of NATO standardisation at the beginning of the Second Cold War, 1970-1980. The International History Review. ISSN 0707-5332

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Abstract

This paper uses equipment standardisation as a lens for examining power relationships and the importance of military identity in framing the development of NATO conventional capability. In the face of the Warsaw Pact's overwhelming military capacity the logic of standardisation was compelling. Standardising equipment and making military forces interoperable reduced logistics overlap, increased the tempo of operations and allowed partners to optimise manufacturing capacity. Applied carefully, standardisation would help NATO mount a successful conventional defence of Western Europe, a crucial aspect of the Alliance's flexible response strategy. In this paper we apply Actor Network Theory to standardisation discussions thereby revealing the incoherence and volatility of NATO's collective strategic thinking and the vast networks of countervailing interests on which this is based.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	defence industrial policy, alliance politics, NATO standardisation
Schools and Departments:	School of Global Studies > International Relations
Research Centres and Groups:	Sussex Centre for Conflict and Security Research
Subjects:	J Political Science > JZ International relations > JZ6385 The armed conflict. War and order U Military Science > U Military Science (General) > U799 History of arms and armour U Military Science > UC Maintenance and transportation > UC260 Supplies and stores U Military Science > UC Maintenance and transportation > UC460 Clothing and equipment U Military Science > UC Maintenance and transportation > UC 540 Equipage. Field kits U Military Science > UD Infantry > UD380 Small arms. Swords, etc.
Depositing User:	Matthew Ford
Date Deposited:	12 Mar 2018 15:53
Last Modified:	29 May 2018 15:06
URI:	http://srodev.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/74383

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