Military R&D and Civilian Spillovers
Open vs. Closed Systems from the Cold War to the Present
25 pages · PDF · 12 September 2025 · Licensed single-user copy, watermarked to the buyer
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About this report
Military research and development (R&D) has historically been a powerful engine for civilian innovation , but the scale of spillovers has varied dramatically between “open” and “closed” systems. During the Cold War, open systems such as the United States and its NATO allies produced breakthrough technologies – from the internet and GPS to semiconductors and jet engines – that transformed the civilian economy .
In contrast, closed systems like the Soviet Union achieved formidable military capabilities but failed to translate defense investments into broad civilian benefits , due to factors like secrecy, rigid state control, and weak linkages to the consumer economy .
Key questions this report answers
- Why have civilian spillovers from military R&D varied so dramatically between 'open' and 'closed' innovation systems?
- What do Cold War case studies (internet, GPS, semiconductors, jet engines) reveal about maximising spillovers?
- Which emerging sectors hold the greatest dual-use potential in 2022-2035?
- What framework can maximise civilian spillovers in the new rearmament cycle?
Inside this report
- Introduction
- Historical Case Studies: Open vs. Closed Innovation Systems
- Mapping Emerging Sectors: Dual-Use Potential in 2022–2035
- Prospective Outlook: The New Rearmament Cycle and Dual-Use Innovations (2022–203
- Conclusion: Framework for Maximizing Civilian Spillovers from Military R&D
Who it's for
Strategy, corporate-development and investment teams that need an ecosystem-level view — budgets, industrial capacity and technology landscapes — before committing capital or capacity.
Methodology & sources
DFM reports are built from primary and official sources — TED procurement notices, CORDIS and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, EIB operations, the NATO Innovation Fund portfolio, SIPRI data, official budget documents and company disclosures — read together with the underlying legal texts. Sources are cited in the document; the report reflects them as of its publication date (12 September 2025).
Format & delivery
25-page PDF, watermarked to you (name, e-mail, order number on every page). Delivered immediately after checkout on the confirmation page and by e-mail; the personal link is valid for 72 hours and up to 5 downloads (re-issued on request). Guest checkout — no account required. Single-user licence: see the Terms of Sale.
The full analysis, not the summary
The public briefing linked above tells you what this report found; the report itself shows the full evidence and reasoning behind it, section by section. It is the complete, dated document from the DFM research desk — sources cited, delivered as a licensed PDF you can keep and cite in your own work.
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