Title: Proliferation Profile Assessment of Emerging Biological Weapons Threats
Subject: This project develops a first generation BW program system model, identifies key issues the U.S. military must address to assure its forces are prepared to fight in a BW environment, and developes a concise BW primer.
Author(s): Michael G. Archuleta; Michael S. Bland; Tsu-Pin Duann; Alan B. Tucker; Conrad A. Widman (Faculty Advisor)
DTIC Keywords: BIOLOGICAL AGENTS, BIOLOGICAL WARFARE, BIOLOGICAL WARFARE AGENTS, MASS DESTRUCTION WEAPONS
Abstract:
The White House's National Security Strategy states "Weapons of mass
destruction . . . pose a major threat to our security and that of our allies
and other friendly nations. Thus, a key part of our strategy is to seek to
stem the proliferation of such weapons. . . ." Because of the dual-use
nature of the technology and materials associated with development of
weapons of mass destruction (WMD), they are attainable to virtually any
organization or state desiring such a capability. Considered by many as
the "poor man's" nuclear weapon, biological weapons offer a low cost
alternative relative to other WMD programs.
This project develops a first generation biological warfare (BW) program
system model for use in the DoD's counterproliferation workstation,
identifies key issues the U.S. military must address to assure its forces
are prepared to fight in a BW environment, and develops a concise BW
primer for use by any DoD activity requiring such information.
The greatest lesson to be learned from this study is that only through the
collective analysis of all the sub-systems of a BW program will conclusive
evidence of the program be found. Still, with current counterproliferation
capabilities the U.S. may only be able to slow, not stop a motivated
proliferant. For this reason, U.S. forces must be prepared to fight in a
BW environment.