CSAT was established at the Air War College in 1997. Its purpose is to engage in long-term strategic thinking about technology and its implications for U.S. national security.
The Center focuses on education, research, and publications that support the integration of technology into national strategy and policy. Its charter is to support faculty and student research, publish research through books, articles, and occasional papers, fund a regular program of guest speakers, host conferences and symposia on these issues, and engage in collaborative research with U.S. and international academic institutions. As an outside-funded activity, the Center enjoys the support of institutions in the strategic, scientific, and technological worlds.
Under the supervision of the CSAT staff and academic instructors, a select group of Air War College and Air Command and Staff College students research future concepts and technologies by working closely with subject matter experts from the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Defense Research Projects Agency, major universities and businesses, and other government laboratories and agencies. In addition to producing reports, the result is a cadre of officers conversant in critical areas of emerging technologies who ask critical questions and assess systems in directed energy, biotechnology, nanotechnology and cyber technologies and what they mean for the future of the U.S. Air Force.
Research conducted under the auspices of the Center is published as Occasional Papers and disseminated to senior military and political officials, think tanks, educational institutions, and other interested parties. Through these publications, the Center promotes the integration of technology and strategy in support of U.S. national security objectives.
