The Co-Production of National and Technological Orders

This paper will follow the birth of Israel’s first military research organization, the Israeli Science Corps (“Hemed” in Hebrew), and present a glimpse at a formative moment in the creation of Israel’s military R&D system which is responsible for Israel’s leading role as an arms exporter and high-tech center. The article presents the historical context of Hemed’s establishment, explores the different actors involved in the struggle over its creation, and points to some of the reasons for Hemed’s success in becoming an important participant in arms production. The emergence of a new military R&D organization marked the rise and institutionalization of a new weapon-production culture promoting research, experimentation, and technological innovations. The outcome of this coalition between a group of scientists, a political leader, civilian industry, and academic institutions provides a case study in the co-production of new socio-political and technological orders.