The Department of Defense faces a greater challenge than ever before to provide for our national security. This is a result of the dramatic changes brought on by the end of the Cold War. New threats have increased the need for fast, flexible, mobile forces with the most advanced weapon systems. We must prepare our fighting forces for uncertain missions of the future by equipping them with the most technologically advanced products that are affordable and accessible.
Technology is the key foundation of our post-Cold War strategy.
In the last several decades the defense industrial base has become more and more isolated from the national or commercial industrial base. And today, because of the cuts in defense spending with the end of the Cold War, this defense-unique industrial base is shrinking. No longer are the most advanced technologies emerging exclusively through DoD investment. No longer is the DoD the dominant customer for most high technology. We cannot afford to maintain two distinct industrial bases.