Thread by @supbrow

1/ National Defense Strategy finally released publicly.

defense.gov/National-Defen…

2/ My first favorite quote:
"Campaigning requires discipline...In service of strategic prioritization, we will focus day-to-day force employment on a more narrow set of tasks than we do currently."
➡️Look fwd to see how this is implemented, esp by the Navy in the IndoPacific.

3/ "Working with Allies and partners, we will build and exercise force elements needed in crisis or conflict, such as infrastructure, logistics, command and control, dispersal and relocation, and mobilization."
➡️This means #SEALIFT
@mercoglianos @johnkonrad @zach_ota

@mercoglianos @johnkonrad @zach_ota 4/ "The Department will be judicious in its use of defense resources and efforts to counter competitors’ coercive behaviors in gray zone operations, as traditional military tools may not always be the most appropriate response"
➡️I look fwd to this in SCS & esp Pacific Islands

@mercoglianos @johnkonrad @zach_ota 5/ ". In many cases, intelligence sharing, economic measures, diplomatic actions, and activities in the information domain conducted by other U.S. departments and agencies may prove more effective"
➡️Yes! Esp in Pacific Islands. DO IT!

@AnnaPowles @BlueSecProgram

@mercoglianos @johnkonrad @zach_ota @AnnaPowles @BlueSecProgram 6/ "Our force posture will focus on the access and
warfighting requirements.... In the IndoPacific, we will
continue key infrastructure investments and coordinate with the State Dept to expand access in the region."
➡️ACCESS! Can't do much without ACCESS
@BDHerzinger @SEA_NFAO

@mercoglianos @johnkonrad @zach_ota @AnnaPowles @BlueSecProgram @BDHerzinger @SEA_NFAO 7/ "we will leverage #SecurityCooperation & capacity building with partners, backed by a monitor-and-respond approach that takes advantage of the deterrent value of the Dept’s ability to deploy forces globally at the time and place of our choosing."
😍
➡️Again, #SEALIFT

@mercoglianos @johnkonrad @zach_ota @AnnaPowles @BlueSecProgram @BDHerzinger @SEA_NFAO 8/ "We strive to be a trusted defense partner. We respect the sovereignty of all states, and we know that the decisions that our Allies and partners face are rarely binary..."
😍
➡️TRUTH
@BDHerzinger @zach_ota

9/ "...We recognize that when it comes to our security relationships, the Department cannot rely on rhetoric."
🛎️🛎️🛎️
➡️As @DEricSayers pointed out, there is a pattern of doing exactly this, however.

Here's the bumper sticker:

10/ "The 2022 National Defense Strategy is a call to action for the defense enterprise to incorporate Allies and partners at every stage of defense planning."

📢CALL TO ACTION‼️
➡️Include Allies & Partners in planning!

@zach_ota @MarSec_Bradford @BDHerzinger

@zach_ota @MarSec_Bradford @BDHerzinger 11/ "To strengthen and sustain deterrence, the Dept will prioritize interoperability and enable coalitions with enhanced capabilities, new operating concepts, and combined, collaborative force planning"
➡️Luckily in we have an #MNFSOP
Here's the link:
community.apan.org/wg/mnfsop/

@zach_ota @MarSec_Bradford @BDHerzinger 12/ "The Department will seek to improve denial capability, including resilience, particularly for those most exposed to military coercion."

➡️For example, #SouthChinaSea & Southeast Asia cuntries.

@zach_ota @MarSec_Bradford @BDHerzinger 13/ " we will support regional partners’ ability to respond to regional contingencies, provide strategic indicators and warning, and reduce competitors’ ability to hold key geographic and logistical chokepoints at risk"
➡️Here's a map. And there is a DoD report somewhere.

@zach_ota @MarSec_Bradford @BDHerzinger 14/ "the Dept will reduce institutional barriers, including those that inhibit collective research and development, planning, interoperability, intelligence and information sharing, and export of key capabilities"

➡️I like this a lot, but I'm not holding my breath for it.

@zach_ota @MarSec_Bradford @BDHerzinger 15/ "The Department will advance our Major Defense Partnership with India to enhance its ability to deter PRC aggression and ensure free and open access to the Indian Ocean region"

➡️How long have we been saying this now?
@JeffreyPayneFP @Harpoonleader

@zach_ota @MarSec_Bradford @BDHerzinger @JeffreyPayneFP @Harpoonleader 16/ " The Department will support Taiwan’s asymmetric self defense commensurate with the evolving PRC threat and consistent with our one China policy."
➡️What changes on legal authorities & funding are required for this?
@DEricSayers has many proposals.

@zach_ota @MarSec_Bradford @BDHerzinger @JeffreyPayneFP @Harpoonleader @DEricSayers 17/ "We will invigorate multilateral approaches to security challenges in the region, to include by promoting the role of ASEAN in addressing regional security issues."
➡️Well, the #ADMMplus meeting is on 23 NOV.
Let's see it happen.
@Sharon__Seah @CollinSLKoh @EvanLaksmana

@zach_ota @MarSec_Bradford @BDHerzinger @JeffreyPayneFP @Harpoonleader @DEricSayers @Sharon__Seah @CollinSLKoh @EvanLaksmana 18/ "The Department will work with Allies and partners to ensure power projection in a contested environment."
➡️Can't do this without #SEALIFT & ACCESS
➡️Also, timely to study when this failed in OIF due to 🇹🇷. See Army FM 3-0!
@mercoglianos @cgberube

@zach_ota @MarSec_Bradford @BDHerzinger @JeffreyPayneFP @Harpoonleader @DEricSayers @Sharon__Seah @CollinSLKoh @EvanLaksmana @mercoglianos @cgberube 19/ " The Dept will also support Ally & partner efforts, in accordance with U.S. policy and international law, to address acute forms of gray zone coercion from the PRC’s campaigns to establish control over the #EastChinaSea, #TaiwanStrait, #SouthChinaSea..."
➡️Interesting 🤔

@zach_ota @MarSec_Bradford @BDHerzinger @JeffreyPayneFP @Harpoonleader @DEricSayers @Sharon__Seah @CollinSLKoh @EvanLaksmana @mercoglianos @cgberube 20/ " At the same time, the Department will continue to prioritize maintaining open lines of communication with the PLA and managing competition responsibly."
➡️Wonder if the MMCA will meet in DEC'22?
➡️How about Crisis Comms?
@jagowriter

pacom.mil/Media/News/New…

@zach_ota @MarSec_Bradford @BDHerzinger @JeffreyPayneFP @Harpoonleader @DEricSayers @Sharon__Seah @CollinSLKoh @EvanLaksmana @mercoglianos @cgberube @jagowriter 21/ "To preserve command, control, and communications in a fast-paced battlefield, we will make our network architectures more resilient against system-level exploitation and disruption so as to ensure effective coordination of distributed forces"
➡️#CyberJEff is ready!

@zach_ota @MarSec_Bradford @BDHerzinger @JeffreyPayneFP @Harpoonleader @DEricSayers @Sharon__Seah @CollinSLKoh @EvanLaksmana @mercoglianos @cgberube @jagowriter 22/ "To mitigate adversary A2/AD capability, the Dept will develop concepts and capabilities that improve our ability to reliably hold at risk those military forces and assets that are essential to adversary operational success, while managing escalation."
➡️See section on ACCESS

@zach_ota @MarSec_Bradford @BDHerzinger @JeffreyPayneFP @Harpoonleader @DEricSayers @Sharon__Seah @CollinSLKoh @EvanLaksmana @mercoglianos @cgberube @jagowriter 23/ "For logistics and sustainment, we will reinforce our capability to quickly mobilize & deploy forces & to sustain high-intensity joint denial operations despite kinetic & non-kinetic attack and disruption"
➡️Uh, OK.🤨See my many tweets on #SEALIFT
@mercoglianos @zach_ota

@zach_ota @MarSec_Bradford @BDHerzinger @JeffreyPayneFP @Harpoonleader @DEricSayers @Sharon__Seah @CollinSLKoh @EvanLaksmana @mercoglianos @cgberube @jagowriter 24/ Joint Force design Buzzword summary:
⚡️Lethal
⚡️Sustainable
⚡️Resilient
⚡️Survivable
⚡️Agile & Responsive

@zach_ota @MarSec_Bradford @BDHerzinger @JeffreyPayneFP @Harpoonleader @DEricSayers @Sharon__Seah @CollinSLKoh @EvanLaksmana @mercoglianos @cgberube @jagowriter 25/ The section on Risk Management:
"This strategy will not be successful if we fail to resource its major initiatives or fail to make the hard choices to align available resources with the strategy’s level of ambition"
➡️Have they been reading @BDHerzinger's articles?

@zach_ota @MarSec_Bradford @BDHerzinger @JeffreyPayneFP @Harpoonleader @DEricSayers @Sharon__Seah @CollinSLKoh @EvanLaksmana @mercoglianos @cgberube @jagowriter 25/ "This strategy will not be successful...
if we are unsuccessful in reducing the barriers that limit collaboration with Allies and partners"
➡️Boom💥‼️ Another bumper sticker.

@zach_ota @MarSec_Bradford @BDHerzinger @JeffreyPayneFP @Harpoonleader @DEricSayers @Sharon__Seah @CollinSLKoh @EvanLaksmana @mercoglianos @cgberube @jagowriter 26/ "We aim to mitigate these & other risks through ruthless prioritization. For example, we must not over-exert, reallocate, or redesign our forces for regional crises that cross the threshold of risk to preparedness for our highest strategic priorities."
👀CENTCOM
@BDHerzinger

@zach_ota @MarSec_Bradford @BDHerzinger @JeffreyPayneFP @Harpoonleader @DEricSayers @Sharon__Seah @CollinSLKoh @EvanLaksmana @mercoglianos @cgberube @jagowriter 27/ And a nice poetic conclusion, worth reading in full:
"We are a free people devoted to democracy and the rule of law"

Nice job DoD. A good strategy. Now follow it.

/END