Inside the New Defense Industrial Strategy

The National Defense Industrial Strategy is a first of its kind document that lays out the framework for how the Defense Department will engage and work with industry as well as how DOD will invest in new technologies.

The document describes a three-to-five-year plan that focuses on four priorities: resilient supply chain, workforce readiness, flexible acquisition, and economic deterrence.

Government contractors in the IT and systems integration sector will play a critical role across all four priorities because information is critical to delivering solutions to the battlefield as well as sustaining and maintaining weapons systems. DOD is particularly interested in speed and resilience.

The National Defense Industrial Strategy describes policies and practices that will need to change and be enhanced such as greater use of commercial solutions and dual use technologies. The strategy also calls for broadening the set of industry partners DOD works with by lowering barriers to entry and shortening development times.

Industry needs to understand this strategy and how it will change the competitive landscape and increase opportunities.