The New Iron Triangle: Achieving Adaptability and Scale in Defense Acquisition
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Ukrainian troops, previously on the offensive thanks to Western precision weapons, are now on the defensive as their rockets and bombs miss targets due to Russian electronic warfare. In the Black Sea, Ukraine’s early naval losses suggested Russian dominance. But lethal new naval drones have restored Ukraine’s access to the open ocean and constrained Russia’s fleet to its own coastline.
The United States and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization militaries will likely face a similar challenge in future confrontations against Russia, China, or their proxies. Merely stockpiling today’s weapons or expanding their production capacity could lock in obsolescence against technologically sophisticated opponents. US and allied militaries will need an industrial base that can both modify today’s weapons or combat systems and produce them in volume—then be prepared to repeat the cycle in response to enemy countermeasures.
Join Hudson and the Apex Series for a three-part event discussing the challenges and opportunities facing Western militaries and defense industries as they attempt to achieve relevant capability at scale.
Source: The Hudson Institute
