The problems of converting military enterprises, in the former Soviet Union as well as in the rest of the world, have international significance, but at the same time, the economic impact of conversion, and the conditions under which it takes place are different for each country involved: no universal policies can be formulated. Defence industry conversion in Russia forms an integral component of the government`s economic reforms. How can the intellectual scientific and technological potential of the defence complex be preserved, allowing it to serve Russia now and in the future? The scale, terms and speed of conversion in the Russian Federation, and the absence of a market economy mean that it is impossible to make direct use of Western experience under Russian conditions. This text look at the implications of military enterprises around the world, with particular emphasis on the effects seen in industry.