The Center for National Defense has recently published several new reports.

The Nuclear Posture Review Must Account for a Growing Chinese Nuclear Threat

The Nuclear Posture Review is a vital tool that provides the administration the opportunity to align U.S. policy, capabilities, and posture with current threats. Since the 2018 NPR, the threat environment has deteriorated substantially, primarily due to China’s and Russia’s expansion of advanced nuclear weapons systems. The new NPR should focus on modernization efforts and properly aligning nuclear policy and capabilities with current threats, not meeting political promises. Read more in this report by Patty Jane Geller.

Reforming the Defense Department’s Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution Process

The Defense Department’s planning, programming, budgeting, and execution (PPBE) process is a relic of the past. This isn’t an academic problem. An unresponsive or slow defense resourcing process can lose lives and wars. The final version of the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, by establishing a commission to examine these processes, gives reason to hope that reform may become a reality. The commission should outline the different shortcomings of the PPBE system and decide which problems can be solved, all with a focus on injecting agility and responsiveness into the system. Read more in this piece by Tom Spoehr and Fred Bartels. 

Revitalizing the National Defense Stockpile for an Era of Great-Power Competition

U.S. policymakers are rightly concerned about global defense supply chains, given their importance to successfully engaging in great-power competition. The National Defense Stockpile may be a relatively small function of the Department of Defense, but it is also a crucial resource meant to provide manufacturers with secure access to materials needed for essential defense goods and services. Given trends toward increased U.S. dependence on foreign-sourced strategic materials, the NDS should, at minimum, be evaluated and increased in scope. Read more in this report by Maiya Clark. 

Chinese Hypersonic Weapons Developments Must Be Countered

China is now outpacing the United States in hypersonic weapons development. This dynamic has the potential to undermine strategic and conventional stability and deterrence in the Indo–Pacific. The United States must address this challenge, developing and/or improving both hypersonic and counter-hypersonic capabilities. Read more in this report by Peter Brookes and JV Venable. 

Basic Air Force Planning MIA in Afghan Withdrawal Debacle

The Defense Department has a reputation as being “best in class” when it comes to developing and executing contingency operations. The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan did not live up to this reputation. By not standing firm against the closure of Bagram Air Base, our senior leaders allowed more than 1,000 American citizens, tens of thousands of Afghan allies and hundreds of millions of dollars in military equipment to be left behind. Read more in this op-ed by JV Venable.

Drop in Public Trust in Military Officers Portends Danger

Gallup recently released a poll describing how American’s confidence in military officers had declined to its lowest level since it began measuring in 2001. Before Afghanistan there was a growing sense that senior military officers are becoming more political, and that does not sit well with Americans. Declining trust in military leaders will make it harder to persuade young people to join. If the U.S. military is going to reverse this dangerous decline in confidence, it is going to have to look inward and resolve to earn back the trust of Americans. Read more in this op-ed by Tom Spoehr.

Upcoming Events

How the US Army Will Overcome Its Challenges: What Policy and Defense Professionals Need to Know

The US Army finds itself with no shortage of challenges. Recent budgets have exerted downward pressure on many of their programs; COVID-19 and a strong economy make recruiting difficult. The procurement holiday from 2001-2020 created a pressing need for Army modernization. As Congress turns its attention to the FY2023 annual budget and authorization bills, they will have plenty of questions for Army leaders about how the service will navigate these challenges. Join Heritage’s Gen. Thomas Spoehr and special guest, General James C. McConville, Chief of Staff of the Army, for a preview of the Army’s answers to these relevant questions and the Army’s message to Congress for 2023. Register here for this virtual event.