Strengthening the Arsenal of Deterrence: Modernizing the DoD Munitions Requirements Process to Include Allied Equipping

Abstract

The Department of Defense Munitions Requirements Process provides the analytical foundation for identifying and prioritizing joint force munitions needed to execute approved war plans, yet its historical focus on U.S.-only operational demand limits its ability to account for the increasingly coalition-dependent character of contemporary conflict. This paper argues that the existing framework is insufficient and should be expanded to incorporate two critical dimensions: allied and partner equipping, and co-production of key munitions with trusted foreign defense industries.

Drawing on a comparative assessment of established analytical methodologies and emerging policy guidance on industrial base resilience and partner capability development, this paper identifies seams and statutory constraints that complicate integrating allied and partner considerations into munitions planning. It evaluates how incorporating allied and partner demand signals and co-production capacity could affect demand forecasting, risk/burden sharing, and resourcing trade-offs within resource allocation cycles.

The analysis also examines the distinct strategic considerations associated with defense articles provided under the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 and emerging bilateral and trilateral initiatives, given their role in deterrence, industrial surge capacity, and regional stability. This paper concludes by proposing an expanded, coalition-integrated munitions requirements framework to improve analytical coherence, strengthen industrial resilience, and support credible collective deterrence.