Pentagon reveals new military-industrial approach
A new document highlights the necessity for the US to modernize its industrial complex to effectively support the Pentagon and clients such as Ukraine. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
**The US Concerns Over Supply Challenges in Supporting Ukraine**
The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has highlighted “vulnerabilities” in global supply chains, prompting the US Department of Defense to call for action from the Western military-industrial sector.
The Pentagon has observed that industries in the US and its allies have encountered difficulties in meeting Ukraine’s requirements for weapons and ammunition, emphasizing the need to “become more agile and resilient.” This was articulated in an implementation plan associated with the National Defense Industrial Strategy, which was released on Tuesday.
“This implementation plan offers industry, global allies, and partners clear direction on the Department’s priorities for industrial capacity building,” stated Laura Taylor-Kale, assistant secretary for industrial base policy, during a media briefing.
Bill LaPlante, undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment, indicated that the implementation plan aims to “serve as a guiding framework for resourcing decisions and investments in the coming years,” which includes defining budget priorities, determining research and development focuses, and steering the Pentagon’s “engagement with industry.”
The plan outlines strategies to remedy deficiencies in critical sectors, including chemicals, castings and forgings, microelectronics, and the industrial base necessary for hypersonic weaponry, with an estimated allocation of $393.4 million from the Defense Production Act.
“There’s a real concern around supply chain vulnerabilities,” Taylor-Kale remarked, referencing the challenges posed by “adversarial sources in our supply chains” along with instances of relying on solely one source for components.
Part of the strategy involves significant investment in increasing domestic production of 155mm artillery shells, with plans for the US Army to modernize its ammunition plants and depots.
The plan identifies six key initiatives, including efforts to “onshore” vital components and materials, partnerships with the industries of allied nations, the development of new capabilities through “flexible pathways,” and the modernization of existing weapons systems, such as the nuclear triad. Additionally, initiatives to protect US intellectual property and mitigate risks from “adversary investment” are included.
The Pentagon anticipates that the NDIS plan will influence policy discussions in Washington regardless of the outcome of the upcoming presidential election in November. The military has requested $37.73 billion to implement this strategy as part of a broader budget of $849.8 billion proposed for the 2025 fiscal year. More than 75% of this funding is allocated for missiles and ammunition, while approximately $4 billion is earmarked for the submarine industrial base.
A classified annex to the plan, which will detail vulnerabilities and proposed solutions, is currently under development and is expected to be completed by year-end, according to Taylor-Kale.
Since the conflict with Russia intensified in February 2022, the US and its allies have contributed over $100 billion in weapons, equipment, and ammunition to Ukraine, maintaining that this support does not imply involvement in the hostilities. Moscow has warned of the potential for escalation resulting from these supplies, asserting that the influx of weapons will not alter the battlefield's outcome.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has highlighted “vulnerabilities” in global supply chains, prompting the US Department of Defense to call for action from the Western military-industrial sector.
The Pentagon has observed that industries in the US and its allies have encountered difficulties in meeting Ukraine’s requirements for weapons and ammunition, emphasizing the need to “become more agile and resilient.” This was articulated in an implementation plan associated with the National Defense Industrial Strategy, which was released on Tuesday.
“This implementation plan offers industry, global allies, and partners clear direction on the Department’s priorities for industrial capacity building,” stated Laura Taylor-Kale, assistant secretary for industrial base policy, during a media briefing.
Bill LaPlante, undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment, indicated that the implementation plan aims to “serve as a guiding framework for resourcing decisions and investments in the coming years,” which includes defining budget priorities, determining research and development focuses, and steering the Pentagon’s “engagement with industry.”
The plan outlines strategies to remedy deficiencies in critical sectors, including chemicals, castings and forgings, microelectronics, and the industrial base necessary for hypersonic weaponry, with an estimated allocation of $393.4 million from the Defense Production Act.
“There’s a real concern around supply chain vulnerabilities,” Taylor-Kale remarked, referencing the challenges posed by “adversarial sources in our supply chains” along with instances of relying on solely one source for components.
Part of the strategy involves significant investment in increasing domestic production of 155mm artillery shells, with plans for the US Army to modernize its ammunition plants and depots.
The plan identifies six key initiatives, including efforts to “onshore” vital components and materials, partnerships with the industries of allied nations, the development of new capabilities through “flexible pathways,” and the modernization of existing weapons systems, such as the nuclear triad. Additionally, initiatives to protect US intellectual property and mitigate risks from “adversary investment” are included.
The Pentagon anticipates that the NDIS plan will influence policy discussions in Washington regardless of the outcome of the upcoming presidential election in November. The military has requested $37.73 billion to implement this strategy as part of a broader budget of $849.8 billion proposed for the 2025 fiscal year. More than 75% of this funding is allocated for missiles and ammunition, while approximately $4 billion is earmarked for the submarine industrial base.
A classified annex to the plan, which will detail vulnerabilities and proposed solutions, is currently under development and is expected to be completed by year-end, according to Taylor-Kale.
Since the conflict with Russia intensified in February 2022, the US and its allies have contributed over $100 billion in weapons, equipment, and ammunition to Ukraine, maintaining that this support does not imply involvement in the hostilities. Moscow has warned of the potential for escalation resulting from these supplies, asserting that the influx of weapons will not alter the battlefield's outcome.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
