The industrial base that serves the nation’s armed forces is faced with a litany of challenges that could hinder it, according to a Pentagon white paper produced at President Trump’s request.
Key among them:
* Sequestration and budgetary uncertainty.
* A decline of “critical markets and suppliers.”
* Unwanted results stemming from the way the government acquires materiel.
* A domestic workforce that lacks in vital skills.
The report drew from assessments in 16 sectors of acquisition, which applied to all the services both individually and jointly. Its authors called for increased budget stability, actions to counter intellectual theft largely on the part of China, reorganization and restructuring of the acquisition process, and enhancement of education and apprenticeships in industries that need new and better-trained talent.
Government policies should address “critical bottlenecks, fragile suppliers, [and] single points of failure,” while moving away from international suppliers in “politically unstable countries,” the report stated.
The authors also cited other related areas that required action.
“A challenge this large requires a multifaceted approach,” they wrote, adding that the Pentagon should “conduct a comprehensive study on the industrial base requirements needed to support force modernization efforts, specifically focused on the technologies necessary to win the future fight.”