The First National Defense Industrial Strategy of the United States of America

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Defense released its first National Defense Industrial Strategy (NDIS) on January 11, 2024. The purpose of the NDIS is to guide the Department’s engagement, policy development, and investment in the industrial base over the next three to five years. Guided by the National Defense Strategy (NDS), the NDIS will catalyze a generational shift from the existing defense industrial base to a more robust, resilient, and dynamic modernized defense industrial base and innovation ecosystem required to defend the United States, its allies and partners, and its interests in the 21st century. Among the many threats and challenges, China’s emergence as a „global industrial powerhouse” is a central focus. The strategy provides a strategic vision and path along four strategic priorities – resilient supply chains, workforce readiness, flexible acquisition, and economic deterrence – and emphasizes cooperation and coordination across the U.S. government, the private sector, and international allies and partners. However, implementation and defense budget resources will be critical to achieving the desired impact.