The U.S. Department of Defense recently released its first-ever National Defense Industrial Strategy, and according to Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy Laura Taylor-Kale, consistent collaboration is a requirement to achieve its objectives.

In a discussion hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies last week, Taylor-Kale highlighted the need for cooperation that extends beyond just the next few years to successfully transform the defense industrial base, the DOD said Tuesday.

Though the strategy is designed to guide the DOD through the next three to five years, Taylor-Kale said the department is “also very much talking about having a generational change.”

“We understand that there’s a lot that is part of the current state of the industrial base,” she said. “You can’t make those changes over one or two years. It’s going to take concerted effort over time, not just within the Department of Defense.”

The NDIS is built around four focus areas: resilient supply chains, workforce readiness, flexible acquisition and economic deterrence. It identifies priorities, challenges and approaches that the DOD should consider when carrying out industrial base engagement goals. The strategy incorporates over 1,000 comments from stakeholders and was developed in collaboration with elected leaders.

“I want to emphasize that the DOD can’t do it alone,” said Taylor-Kale. “It will need the interagency. It will need our industry partners. It will need our global allies and partners, as well as our people on [Capitol Hill].”

Taylor-Kale said the department “can’t afford to wait.” Recent years, she noted, have demonstrated “the importance of why we need resilient supply chains,” both for the U.S. and for its allies and partners.

“We’re wanting everyone to join with us so we can move forward, implement and meet the needs of warfighters today as well as for the future,” she added.

According to Taylor-Kale, the DOD is currently working on an implementation plan that identifies measurable actions and metrics to keep track of NDIS progress.

The industrial base is a core part of all DOD technology initiatives. Learn more about the department’s approach to developing next-generation capabilities at the Potomac Officers Club’s 10th Annual Defense R&D Summit on Jan. 31, where key leaders will come together to discuss the current defense R&D landscape. To learn more and register to attend the event, click here.

Work under the Defense Information Systems Agency’s Workforce 2025 initiative involves identifying capabilities and services needed to address the strategic threat posed by China, as well as determining the expertise needed for the agency to deliver them, according to U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Skinner.

The director of DISA, commander of the Joint Force Headquarters-Department of Defense Information Network and Wash100 awardee made the remarks during a fireside chat at the AFCEA NOVA Army IT Day, which took place on Jan. 11, DISA said Tuesday.

“In order to continue to compete, to never get into conflict, we have to be more agile, we have to be more flexible, we have to have the right velocity and a sense of urgency, as well as the right critical thinking,” Skinner told former U.S. Army deputy chief information officer Greg Garcia, who moderated the discussion.

DISA describes Workforce 2025 as “human capital investment to empower and posture the agency’s global workforce.” Unveiled in June last year, as reported by Breaking Defense, the initiative seeks to help DISA attract new talent while upskilling the personnel it already has.

Skinner said in an interview at the time that the initiative strives “to lay a foundation for employee success.” He also issued a warning, saying that focusing exclusively on the technologies to address the China threat while forgetting the people who will operate those technologies will result in stagnation and the U.S. and its allies becoming “outpaced.”

Task Force 59 within U.S. Naval Forces Central Command has launched a new task group that will focus on improving maritime security across the Middle East by deploying unmanned systems teamed with crewed platforms.

Lt. Luis Echeverria, a surface warfare officer, was named head of the newly created Task Force 59.1, also called The Pioneers, the Navy said Tuesday.

Capt. Colin Corridan, Task Force 59 commodore, said the new unmanned task group will work to accelerate the delivery of new technology to warfighters.

“Breaking the molds of the legacy acquisition model requires a level of connective tissue between industry partners and the end user operators, and 59.1 answers that bell. Our Sailors will be there to ensure seamless integration of new tech introduced to operators while in theater,” Corridan added.

Task Force 59 is the Navy’s first task force focused on unmanned systems and artificial intelligence. Founded in September 2021, the organization has tested, operated and upgraded over 23 different unmanned systems.