| Box 14 - Military research and competitiveness. The goal of making Brazil a world power can only be achieved if the country can survive and develop in a competitive international environment, which depends on the non-military components of its strategic capabilities - mainly its scientific and technological capability. In consequence, the country's efforts should be directed to this goal, without giving priority, necessarily, to military R&D. There is no doubt that the main current military projects should be continued until their completion, but the perspectives of military R&D regarding the more advanced technologies is limited, given the tendency of civilian R&D to administer such technological projects as efficiently as the military. The difficulties found in the development of military programs could be reduced if the development of higher end technologies is not militarized. This, however, does not mean that the Armed Forces should be excluded from research and development activities. On the contrary, they should continue to participate in this effort, but aware that the country's prestige, as well as the strengthening of its strategic capabilities, will not come only from its military prowess, but above all from the competitiveness the country can achieve in the international system. Countries that can compete will be strong. The bases for competitiveness are not military, in the same sense that the main roles of science and technology in a developed, industrialized and competitive country are not military. Geraldo L. Cavagnari, 1993. |