WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Angus King (I-ME) today introduced the American Defense Programs, Logistics, and Acquisitions for our Nation’s Security (American Defense PLANS) Act, which would direct the Department of Defense (DOD) to facilitate an external study of acquisition and modernization efforts that would outline recommendations for how DOD programs can best keep pace with rapidly changing technologies:

“Ensuring America has the most technologically advanced military in the world is a matter of survival, plain and simple,” said Sen. Cornyn. “By seeking out recommendations for modernizing our military, we work towards making sure our national defense is well-positioned for success in this rapidly-changing threat environment.” 

“Technology wins wars. From the long bow at the Battle of Agincourt to nuclear weapons in World War Two, technological advancements frequently turn the tides of battle and define conflicts,” said Sen. King. “As America faces growing threats from global adversaries like Russia and China, our defense technology must keep up with the times, and prevent our enemies from gaining a competitive advantage. This bipartisan bill will help the Department of Defense stay on the cutting edge of rapidly-evolving capabilities, keep our warfighters well equipped, and make sure our nation is ready to address any potential threat. It’s a critical step in keeping America safe – and without it, I fear we could someday pay the price.”

Background:

In order for the military to modernize quickly enough to overmatch threats posed by China and Russia, Department of Defense (DOD) programs and acquisitions need to keep pace with rapidly-changing critical defense technologies and evolving adversary capabilities. Delays and inefficiencies within the DOD bureaucracy are an impediment to figuring out what capabilities the U.S. needs to deter our adversaries and producing and procuring those capabilities fast enough to maintain our technological competitive advantage over emerging threats.

This legislation would direct the Office of the Secretary of Defense to facilitate an outside study of DOD programs to make recommendations for how these programs and acquisitions can keep pace with rapidly changing technologies. The study would be led by independent organizations that are established leaders in national security and technology.

This is one of several bills Sen. Cornyn has led this session that address the multipronged challenges of military modernization.