Key Takeaways

  • Congress is poised to pass sweeping acquisition reform.
  • The US Joint Force aims to pull more commercial innovation into its operations.
  • Emerging technologies offer partners a chance to narrow the military power gap against larger adversaries.
  • The US defense export system was not designed to routinely transfer emerging technologies.
Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology

Strategic Implications

This development may indicate a shift in the US government’s approach to defense acquisition and export. The focus on commercial innovation could strengthen the country’s position in the global market, but sustaining this momentum will require fully integrating emerging technologies into deterrence strategies. The lack of transparency and dated criteria for what counts as a controlled defense article versus a dual-use item may discourage innovators from entering foreign markets.