On May 8, Sec. Mark Esper and Sec. Deborah Lee James, Co-Chairs of the Atlantic Council’s Commission on Defense Innovation Adoption, co-wrote an article in Defense One discussing two key recommendations from the Commission’s recently released interim report. First, DoD needs more flexibility to reprogram funds within fiscal years without congressional approval. Second, DoD program managers should have fewer but larger portfolios so they can shift resources and technologies, threats, and priorities evolve.
Forward Defense, housed within the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, generates ideas and connects stakeholders in the defense ecosystem to promote an enduring military advantage for the United States, its allies, and partners. Our work identifies the defense strategies, capabilities, and resources the United States needs to deter and, if necessary, prevail in future conflict.