Prioritize China as the 'Pacing Challenge.'
An increasingly aggressive China is trying to shape the international rules-based system to suit its authoritarian preferences. This is a generational challenge, and the department will rise to meet it. To do so, we must embrace integrated deterrence, which charges us to coordinate our efforts across all war-fighting domains, theaters and the spectrum of conflict to create new and more complex dilemmas for our adversaries. We must continue to break down stovepipes across the department; improve our cooperation with the interagency and Congress; and work with our allies and partners to improve operational planning, increase joint and allied interoperability and better align our operations, activities and investments. We are strengthening our deterrence posture in the Indo-Pacific by developing new concepts and capabilities, deepening our alliances and partnerships and expanding our activities and operations. As the threat from the PRC [People's Republic of China] evolves, we will provide Taiwan self-defense capabilities consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act. Our team is making major investments in the nuclear triad, space, cyberspace, long-range fires and next-generation capabilities in fighter aircraft and undersea warfare, while also accelerating Joint All Domain Command and Control.
China China Military Power Report Indo-Pacific
Tackle the Acute Russian Threat.
Russia's illegal and unjust invasion of Ukraine is also an attack on the rules-based international order built at such high cost since 1945. The United States has rallied the world to support the brave defenders of Ukraine, and the unprecedented speed and scale of contributions from nations of goodwill has been inspiring. We are determined to support Ukraine' s fight for freedom over the long haul. We will not be drawn into [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's war of choice, but we remain resolved to defend every inch of NATO territory. Working closely with our allies, we have already strengthened NATO's Eastern Flank, and we will continue to strengthen our collective defense and deterrence.
Russia Support for Ukraine NATO
Address Advanced and Persistent Threats.
The department will also remain vigilant against dangers including North Korea, Iran and global terrorist organizations. We will continue to respond to North Korean provocations, coordinating closely with the Republic of Korea, Japan and other allies and partners. We will counter unmanned aerial systems that threaten our homeland or our forces around the world. We will continue to sharpen our over-the-horizon counterterrorism capabilities and defend against terrorist threats against the United States. In recent months, we have removed top leaders of ISIS and al-Qaeda from the battlefield, upgraded our presence in Somalia and taken historic steps to limit civilian harm.
Innovate and Modernize.
America's dynamism has always been at the heart of our strategic advantage. To tackle emerging challenges, we are modernizing every aspect of the joint force, from hypersonic weapons to our Joint Warfighting Concept, from data analysis to artificial intelligence. We are also accelerating the development of advanced technologies to deliver new capabilities to the force. Finally, to strengthen America's competitive edge further, we are making historic investments in defense research and engineering, a once-in-a-generation investment in our shipyards and our munitions industrial base, and much more.
Engineering Science & Technology Artificial Intelligence
Meet the Climate Crisis.
Our strategy and planning address the security implications of our changing climate. We are developing new platforms that mitigate logistical risks in contested environments. We are also investing to improve mission resilience and cut the risks from extreme weather.
