The U.S. defense industrial base faces significant challenges in rapidly manufacturing advanced military technologies, particularly in space, as highlighted by the Space Development Agency's struggles with supply chain disruptions. The agency plans to launch 160 satellites for its Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture by spring 2025, but delays have arisen due to reliance on single-source components and foreign software developers, raising national security concerns. Leaders emphasize the need for a rethinking of industrial strategy to build excess capacity and address broader issues affecting military production capabilities.
