DoD Releases the National Defense Science and Technology Strategy
Strategic Balancing Initiative
SUMMARY
#2 DoD Releases the National Defense Science and Technology Strategy
Bottom Line: On Tuesday, May 9, 2023, DoD released the NDSTS, expanding on what the 2022 National Defense Strategy (NDS) calls America’s “asymmetric advantages” in fourteen “critical technology areas.” The goal of the strategy is to “sharpen [America’s] competitive edge” by promoting innovation and protecting sensitive military technologies. Most importantly, the NDSTS advances the 2022 NDS by specifying how DoD can invest in technological innovation as a major element of American competitiveness and national security.
The NDSTS outlines three lines of effort:
- Investing in information systems and establishing processes for improved analysis across all branches of the military (under a strong focus on “jointness”).
- Moving “at speed and scale” to field capabilities.
- Supporting research and development by investing in critical assets: talent, physical and digital infrastructure, and “more proactive” partnerships with a broader cross-section of industry partners.