par De Nève, Alain;Wasinski, Christophe
Référence Defense and security analysis, 27, 3, page (237-249)
Publication Publié, 2011-09
Article révisé par les pairs
Résumé : The objective pursued by J-UCAS advocates was to promote the definition of uninhabited systems dedicated to a wide array of dull, duty and dangerous missions, including suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD), surveillance, precision strike and, last but not least, combat operations. What was remarkable about the J-UCAS is that it involved not only a different way of thinking about air systems, but also a radical breakthrough in the way the whole process of engineering and development has to be thought of. Now terminated as a program on its own, the J-UCAS 'experiment' appears to be an ideal test-bed in order to demonstrate how military technological programs, especially those initiated in order to explore innovative and experimental capabilities, are socially constructed. Since the inception of the J-UCAS, great confusion seems to have existed as regards both the origins and the objectives of the project.