Global Challenges Demand Scrutiny of Our Defense Acquisition Process

Since the end of the Cold War, our defense industrial base has gradually but persistently become smaller and more brittle. A result of declining budgets, prolonged recessions, global dispersion of supply chains, and reductions in defense research and development – the bloodline ensuring our future military superiority over potential rivals.

Most importantly, we must resist the urge to apply additional burdensome acquisition regulations to an already sclerotic acquisition process. No company that implemented government acquisition rules for its own purchases would be in business for long. Overregulation complicates and slows commercial suppliers' ability to work with DOD, hindering the government's ability to access critical technologies and the industrial manufacturing industry. DoD must adjust its acquisition policies to work more effectively with industry, or risk industry leaders opting for more promising markets. To properly incentivize industry to work with DoD and invest its own resources into defense-related manufacturing capabilities and independent research and development, DoD should:

In short, current defense acquisition laws and regulations impede the development of innovative technologies and drive commercial companies away from DoD business. While these regulations may address the government's short-term budgetary interest or appear as a remedy for the most recent failed acquisition, in the long run, they come at the cost of dissuading firms from working with DoD, by adding more cost, bureaucracy, and burdens on industry. Precisely when DOD is more reliant than ever on industry to advance its warfighting capability, more regulation and oversight only further undermine DOD's ability to acquire critical technology and parts.

A stronger relationship between DOD and private industry can also kickstart a cycle of collaboration that benefits both our military and our domestic manufacturing industry. The recent coronavirus outbreak, for example, has brought to light the risks of relying so heavily on China. The virus has put a complete halt to entire supply chains all across China, ushering fears of a global economic downturn. If current trends continue, we could soon face a future where our commercial manufacturers, many of whom DoD relies on for aircraft readiness, migrate their supply chains across the Pacific. Already with the coronavirus outbreak, we are seeing growing concerns by the FDA over the potential depletion of China’s pharmaceutical supply chains – which the United States relies on for medications. The same risks apply to a world in which China controls our access to military parts. Fortifying collaboration between industry and DOD would bring much-needed stability to both.

To ensure that the defense industrial base is, first, protected from further decline, and second, positioned for robust recovery and growth, we must resist the temptation to add even more burdensome acquisition regulations and nurture the natural tendencies of industry to innovate and pursue capital.

Our very national security is at stake. We simply cannot afford to wait until our capabilities are overmatched by our strategic competitors. We must protect our technological and manufacturing advantage over that of our adversaries. Moreover, these advantages matter to our allies -- in Europe and around the world. Despite the ever-evolving politics in our country, our military strength is and should continue to be an advantage our allies – and our citizenry – can rely on.

BG John Adams (U.S. Army, Ret.) retired after over 30 years of active duty in 2007, and is the author of Remaking American Security, a 2013 investigation of U.S. defense supply chain vulnerabilities.