The report card is in for the US defense industry’s health February 2
The Freedom-class littoral combat ship Detroit receives regularly scheduled maintenance at BAE Systems shipyard in Jacksonville, Fla., on March 29, 2019. (MC3 Nathan T. Beard/U.S. Navy) WASHINGTON ― The health of America’s defense industrial base ranks a middling “C” due to growing cyber vulnerabilities, a poor ability to surge production in a crisis, and political obstacles for defense budgeting, according to a lead defense trade group’s new study. According to the National Defense Industrial Association’s second annual “Vital Signs” report, the defense industrial base entered the COVID-19 pandemic in a weakened state despite healthier marks for competition, profitability and demand.
U.S. “defense is predicated on a vibrant and productive defense industrial base. That base is facing multiple headwinds in its efforts to keep American and allied warfighters advantaged in all domains of conflict,” said retired Air Force Gen. Herbert “Hawk” J. Carlisle, now the president and CEO of NDIA.
“These challenges include but are not limited to intense industrial security threats highlighted by the recent SolarWinds hack attributed to Russia, along with myriad breaches attributed to China; expected flat budgets going forward; decreased investments in the basic science that fuels U.S. innovation; skilled, cleared workforce shortages; and increased regulatory burdens and barriers to entry for those seeking defense contracts,” Mr. Carlisle wrote in in the report.
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U.S. “defense is predicated on a vibrant and productive defense industrial base. That base is facing multiple headwinds in its efforts to keep American and allied warfighters advantaged in all domains of conflict,” said retired Air Force Gen. Herbert “Hawk” J. Carlisle, now the president and CEO of NDIA.
“These challenges include but are not limited to intense industrial security threats highlighted by the recent SolarWinds hack attributed to Russia, along with myriad breaches attributed to China; expected flat budgets going forward; decreased investments in the basic science that fuels U.S. innovation; skilled, cleared workforce shortages; and increased regulatory burdens and barriers to entry for those seeking defense contracts,” Mr. Carlisle wrote in in the report.
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With Connor O’Brien and Jacqueline Feldscher
Editor’s Note: Morning Defense is a free version of POLITICO Pro Defense s morning newsletter, which is delivered to our subscribers each morning at 6 a.m. The POLITICO Pro platform combines the news you need with tools you can use to take action on the day’s biggest stories. Act on the news with POLITICO Pro.
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