After World War II, the threat of a new enemy and competitor, the USSR, inspired the country and specially the Department of Defense to develop strategies to keep the upper hand in military and technology, consequently the country's safety.
Developed by then-Under Secretary of Defense Bill Perry in the late 1970s, the U.S. adopted a new strategy called Offset Strategy. The plan had two main components:
1 - Technological superiority by investment in robust research and development (R&D) budget, especially to develop information based technology, like global positioning services (GPS). These would improve the country's existing technologies and systems.
2 - Preservation of the technological advantage, which were totally funded, built and controlled by the U.S through export and trade route control, like the Arms Export Control Act and the Missile Technology Control Regime, allowing the nation to provide or deny access to particular technologies on command.
The strategy was successful, leading into era of unparalleled U.S. scientific-technological dominance, resulting in victory in the Cold War. The program also was the progenitor of early-generation microelectronics, nuclear power and the internet for example.