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| US National Defence Strategy | |
|---|---|
| Name | US National Defence Strategy |
| Abbreviation | NDS |
| Issued by | United States Department of Defense |
| First published | 2012 |
| Latest revision | 2022 |
| Type | Strategic guidance |
US National Defence Strategy
The US National Defence Strategy is the principal strategic guidance produced by the United States Department of Defense that directs the employment of United States Armed Forces to protect national interests articulated by the President of the United States and implemented by the Secretary of Defense. It translates high-level guidance from the National Security Strategy and the National Defense Authorization Act into priorities for joint force planning, readiness, and capabilities. The document frames responses to competitors such as the People's Republic of China, adversaries like the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and challenges posed by states including the Russian Federation and actors active in regions such as the Indo-Pacific and European Union security space.
The NDS defines strategic aims that link to the National Security Strategy, directing the Joint Chiefs of Staff and combatant commands including United States Indo-Pacific Command, United States European Command, and United States Central Command to align operations with defense objectives. It instructs service chiefs from the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force to prioritize capabilities for deterrence, integrated deterrence, and competition below the threshold of open war, while maintaining options for large-scale combat operations. The NDS also coordinates acquisition priorities with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, industrial partners such as Lockheed Martin, and oversight bodies like the United States Congress.
The NDS emerged from decades of doctrinal evolution that includes the National Security Strategy (2002), the Goldwater–Nichols Act, and strategic reviews after conflicts such as the Gulf War (1990–1991), the Iraq War, and the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021). Early post–Cold War documents like the Weinberger Doctrine and the Powell Doctrine influenced its emphasis on clear objectives and exit strategies. The 2018 and 2014 strategic assessments responded to rising challenges from the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation following events including the Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, the South China Sea arbitration (2016), and confrontations involving North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies. The iterative process incorporated lessons from the Battle of Fallujah (2004), counterinsurgency studies of Iraq Study Group, and technology shifts exemplified by the Fifth-generation fighter programs.
The NDS delineates core priorities—defeat aggression, deter adversaries, and protect the homeland—while emphasizing alliances such as North Atlantic Treaty Organization and partnerships across the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. It prioritizes competition with the People's Republic of China in the Indo-Pacific, counters malign influence from the Russian Federation in Europe, and addresses transregional threats from groups like Al-Qaeda and the Taliban (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). Objectives include advancing capabilities in domains highlighted by the Missile Defense Agency, space responsibilities tied to the United States Space Force, cyber operations involving United States Cyber Command, and maritime security related to United States Fleet Forces Command and the United States Sixth Fleet.
Guidance in the NDS informs force sizing models used by the Goldwater–Nichols Act processes and resource allocation through the Defense Acquisition System. It drives modernization programs such as the Columbia-class submarine, Ford-class aircraft carrier, F-35 Lightning II, and long-range strike initiatives championed by Air Force Global Strike Command. The strategy emphasizes resilient logistics involving the Defense Logistics Agency, forward posture at bases like Andersen Air Force Base and Ramstein Air Base, mobilisation frameworks linked to the United States National Guard and the Reserve Component system, and integration of emerging technologies from organizations such as DARPA and the National Security Agency.
Implementation relies on planning instruments including the Joint Strategic Capabilities Plan, budget guidance under the Office of Management and Budget, and authorizations from the United States Congress via the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022. Policy tools encompass military exercises like Exercise Defender-Europe, security cooperation instruments administered by United States Security Cooperation Command, arms sales through the Foreign Military Sales program, and sanctions coordinated with the United States Department of the Treasury. Legal frameworks such as the Warfighting concept and authorities under the Insurrection Act or Authorization for Use of Military Force inform operational options.
The NDS situates defense efforts within whole-of-government approaches engaging the Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, and the United States Agency for International Development to synchronize deterrence and crisis response. It reinforces alliances with NATO members, security partnerships with Japan, Republic of Korea, Australia, and cooperation with multilateral institutions like the United Nations Security Council and regional bodies such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Coordination mechanisms include bilateral defense dialogues with India and trilateral frameworks exemplified by the AUKUS partnership and the Quad consultative group.
Scholars and policymakers from institutions such as Center for Strategic and International Studies, Council on Foreign Relations, and Brookings Institution debate NDS emphases: some argue the focus on near-peer competition with the People's Republic of China risks underresourcing counterinsurgency lessons from Iraq War and Afghanistan Conflict (2001–2021), while others contend it lacks sufficient industrial base reforms to compete with state actors like China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation. Debates address legal constraints illustrated by the War Powers Resolution, ethical concerns raised by autonomous weapons discussions involving Oxford Brookes University and Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, and budget trade-offs scrutinized in hearings before the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services.