DOD's Industrial Preparedness Program Needs National Policy To Effectively Meet Emergency Needs
PLRD-81-22
Published: May 27, 1981. Publicly Released: May 27, 1981.
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Highlights
The Industrial Preparedness Planning Program of the Department of Defense (DOD) was developed to ensure that sufficient industrial capacity exists to meet potential wartime needs for defense systems, equipment, and component parts.
Recommendations
Matter for Congressional Consideration
| Matter | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Congress, in coordination with the executive branch, should establish a clearly defined and comprehensive national policy regarding industrial preparedness. Hearings should be held to develop this policy. This policy should encompass both the preparedness expectations for the industrial base, as well as what the United States is willing to invest to achieve it. | On July 21, 1981 the Subcommittee House Appropriations, held hearings regarding the defense industrial base. Although issues regarding the DOD industrial mobilization production planning program are raised during the annual DOD appropriation process, actions are not being taken by DOD or Congress to establish a national policy. |
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should: (1) clearly define the circumstances that the industrial base is expected to be responsive to and the role it will play in each; (2) clearly define the priority and funding availability industrial preparedness planning will have in relation to other DOD and service programs; (3) ensure that service industrial preparedness planning efforts are interfaced with other related defense programs to assure continuity of support over the planned period; and (4) ensure that service planning efforts are scaled to what can realistically be accomplished within assigned priority and available funds considering either substantially limiting the number of individual items planned or limiting indepth planning to a few vital items while using studies of key industrial sectors to identify potential mobilization problems. |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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Topics
Civil defenseDefense contingency planningDefense industryMobilizationNational policiesProgram managementIndustrial preparednessMilitary forcesAircraft acquisition programRaw materials