Realistic appraisal of Soviet defence efforts is crucial to strategic planning and foreign policy analysis. Since Soviet defence expenditure figures are incomplete, however, our knowledge in this area is extremely limited. This study reviews the state of current knowledge in this field, and presents a critical review of the nature and limitation of traditional approaches. The contributors analyse newly available sources of economic, scientific, and technical military information, and conclude with an in-depth consideration of the relevance and impact of historical and cultural influences on current Russian-Soviet military strategy. There emerges a fascinating account, which both extends our knowledge and understanding, and sheds light on what is perhaps the single most important 'unknown' in the study of international affairs and defence needs.

Carl G. Jacobsen's profile page

Carl G. Jacobsen is at Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

'The contributors ... as well as editor Carl Jacobsen represent an extraordinary wealth of thinking about the Soviet defence burden ... Undoubtedly Carl Jacobsen's collection will be read with great interest in the USSR.' Robert W. Clawson, Kent State University. Journal of Strategic Studies

' This is a successful 'state of the art' book aimed at those professionals with a specialist interest in Soviet military spending. To the credit of the editor and organisers, the book also provides papers which should be of interest to other readers.' Millennium