The argument we make in this article is that the United States has adopted its own unique approach to international defense procurement. In particular, the U.S. seeks to be the “dominant partner” in joint acquisition projects, and generally eschews the alternative of “shared management” and the European principle of “juste retour.” Nonetheless, the specific pressures found in the defense market-place have forced American firms and the U.S. government to take a flexible approach to its dominant partner model.
