This volume addresses how 'emerging critical technologies' affect military capabilities, and therefore military advantage, in the Asia-Pacific. Technology is a crucial element of military effectiveness and advantage, particularly with regard to the Asia-Pacific region. Therefore, the proliferation of advanced conventional weaponry, and the subsequent increases in military capacity, has been a dramatic, and perhaps even alarming, development. Regional militaries have, in recent decades, acquired capabilities that were previously unknown. At the same time, the diffusion of militarily critical technologies, as well as the ability of militaries to exploit potential, varies widely across the region. Naturally, this unequal distribution will determine the impact of these technologies and capabilities on regional security and stability. Consequently, it is essential to assess the relative abilities of regional militaries and the impediments they may face.
