Defense Industrial Base: DOD Should Take Actions to Strengthen Its Risk Mitigation

Abstract

A healthy defense industrial base is essential to meeting U.S. national security objectives. Multiple DOD reports have highlighted a need to maintain and grow the industrial base to foster innovation and support continued development of cutting-edge technologies and weapon systems. However, for decades, DOD has also reported on complex risks that the defense industrial base faces, such as relying on foreign and single-source suppliers for critical materials. The COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted vulnerabilities in the U.S defense industrial base.