The US Department of Defense (DoD) has released the unclassified National Defense Industrial Strategy Implementation Plan (NDIS-IP), detailing actions to modernise the defence industrial base. 

The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy [OASD(IBP)] published the NDIS-IP, which follows the January 2024 release of the NDIS.  

The NDIS-IP prioritises resilient supply chains, workforce readiness, flexible acquisition, and economic deterrence.  

This document outlines six initiatives to foster a resilient defence industrial ecosystem and mitigate risks. 

The first initiative is Indo-Pacific deterrence, which focuses on munitions, missiles, and submarine production. 

The production and supply chains initiative aims to onshore defence-critical production capabilities, reducing reliance on adversarial capital sources, analyse supply chain vulnerabilities, enhance cyber security, and stockpile critical materials. 

Allied and partner industrial collaboration initiative seeks to strengthen cooperation among allies, particularly within the AUKUS partnership between Australia, the UK, and the US.  

It also aims to expand weapons systems coproduction and international collaboration. 

Capabilities and infrastructure modernisation initiative focuses on upgrading the nuclear and organic industrial bases and enhancing the DoD's maintenance, repair, overhaul, and upgrade capacities. 

New capabilities using flexible pathways initiative aims to advance the replicator Initiative through various projects, studies, and white papers, and to optimise the use of current acquisition authorities. 

Intellectual property and data analysis initiative focuses on integrating intellectual property planning into acquisition and product support strategies to optimise resource use throughout a programme's life cycle. 

US Defense for Industrial Base Policy assistant secretary Dr Laura Taylor-Kale said: “This implementation plan offers industry, global allies, and partners clear direction on the Department's priorities for industrial capacity building. 

“Implementing these initiatives will require coordinated efforts across the DoD, and support and cooperation from our interagency, industry, and international stakeholders, as well as our champions in Congress.” 

The NDIS-IP also underlines the importance of collaboration beyond the DoD, involving the US Government, private industry, and international allies in these efforts.