Conversion activities in the Russian weapon laboratories

Abstract

Few paying customers have been attracted to the results of conversion activities at the Russian weapon institutes. American efforts to cooperate with the institutes are motivated both by an optimism over yet-to-be-realized commercial rewards and by the security imperative of a reorientation of Russian research from military pursuits to peaceful endeavors. The Russians look to cooperation primarily for reliable sources of financial support. In the absence of adequate budgets, Russian institutes are proceeding in many directions, including efforts to privatize portions of their facilities. Meanwhile, Russian conversion efforts have heightened interest in new approaches to protecting intellectual property, countering the spread of dual-use technologies, and increasing American investments in Russia.