Maritime: March 30, 2025

Shipbuilding: All Hands on Deck! Headwinds and Heavy Seas Ahead to Achieve the 355-Ship Navy

The American shipbuilding industry boasts unmatched technology but has shrunk to a fraction of its former size. American shipyards now depend on defense contracts and protective legislation to survive amid booms, busts, and subsidized foreign competition. For US-based shipbuilders to produce the ships needed to acquire a 355-ship Navy expeditiously and affordably, the US Government must adopt a disciplined approach of long-term planning, building from mature designs, introducing new technologies incrementally, and executing multi-year contracts for blocks of ships. These and other reforms will speed production, reduce cost, stabilize the industry, and help shipyards invest in facilities, technology, and workforce.

Robotics and Autonomous Systems: March 30, 2025

Robotics and Autonomous Systems

The Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Industry has seen ever-increasing relevance and importance in its applications both within the Department of Defense (DOD) and throughout society. Enhancing human productivity in activities ranging from self-driving automobiles to unmanned aircraft that can deliver weapons without requiring human control or consent, the development and advancement of these technologies have the potential to alter daily life as we know it. These emerging capabilities provide ample opportunity for the DOD to influence and leverage these capabilities to support national security strategies. This paper will examine the industry, current and future RAS applications as they relate to increased human productivity, and the implications these advancements have on our way of life. It will then provide recommendations on what the DOD can do to better position itself to capitalize on RAS growth and prevent missteps.

Strategic Materials: March 30, 2025

Strategic Materials

The United States has come to rely on a number of strategic materials to provide hi-tech consumer goods, advanced defense technologies, and renewable energy capabilities. Yet it remains dependent on imports for a good portion of these materials, either because they do not exist in the U.S. in mineable deposits, or their mining and processing is uneconomic. Current import levels satisfy U.S. demand for these materials, yet access to these imports is highly dependent on geopolitical factors. This survey investigates ways to mitigate the risk of supply disruption. 

Transportation: March 30, 2025

Transportation

The transportation industry has long been the keystone of America’s security, military strength, and economic prowess. Today, challenges besiege this vital industry, directly impacting its ability to meet national resourcing requirements and continued economic expansion. The most significant challenges are labor shortages, inadequate infrastructure, and barriers to automation (to include cyber security threats), each of which is impacted by burdensome regulation. The government, in coordination with industry stakeholders, must address these challenges by making strategic investments in infrastructure, reviewing, revising or rescinding current regulations, and implementing new policies to incentivize growth and industry efficiency.