Arlington, Va. (Jan. 11, 2023) – Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) President and CEO Eric Fanning today released the following statement on the Department of Defense’s first-ever National Defense Industrial Strategy:
“The defense industrial base – including Aerospace Industries Association members – is the cornerstone of our National Defense Strategy, so we appreciate the Administration’s focus on strengthening this strategic asset with a formal industrial base policy proposal. The defense industrial base we have today is the result of policy and investment decisions made over many years. Steps to ensure its health and resilience will require a long-term approach rooted in consistency and more clear demand signals.
“The details will be critical, and we will continue to engage with the Department of Defense to ensure both sides fully understand the intent and impact of the recommendations.
“Our shared goal is a faster, more resilient, more cost-effective industrial base, but we also must avoid additional burdens that will drive up costs and drive companies away from working with the Department of Defense. Capacity itself is a capability, and with threats growing on several fronts around the globe, this fact cannot be overstated. The Pentagon’s success in this effort, and the health of the industrial base more broadly, rely on sustained investment that matches the strategy and reflects how industry operates.
“We thank Dr. Taylor-Kale and her team for their hard work and engagement on this topic, and we look forward to working with both the Department of Defense and Congress on its implementation.”
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