Military Research and Development as a Driving Force for the Economy of the Future

Military research and development in the modern world is not only one of the main factors in building up the military power of a state, strengthening its strategic independence and ensuring significant technological advantages over a potential adversary, but also a major factor providing a positive impact both on the development of scientific and technological progress in general, and on the development of the state’s economy. Military research and development can contribute to the creation of a powerful national innovation system and the shaping of the knowledge-based economy of the future. The study aims to try to prove that, despite the fact that military research and development requires the use of significant material, financial and intellectual resources, its indirect contribution to civilian spheres can be very significant and this type of research and development can rightfully be considered one of the driving forces of the economy of the future. The methodological basis of this study was analysis and synthesis, logical and comprehensive approaches to assessing the role of military research and development in the development of the economy of the future. The study shows that the states leading in terms of spending on military research and development not only dominate in the creation and development of weapons, military equipment and ammunition, but are also today the most developed countries in the world in the field of robotics, information and other types of civilian technologies. The study also provides particular cases of peaceful use of military research and development results. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.