Defense Industrial Base Sector
The Defense Industrial Base Sector consists of the worldwide industrial complex that enables the research, development, design, production, delivery, and maintenance of military weapons systems, subsystems, components, and other products and services needed to support the United States Armed Forces. Its capabilities are essential to national defense, military readiness, and national security.
Overview
The sector includes businesses and organizations of many sizes that provide products and services to the Department of Defense. These range from major defense contractors and manufacturing facilities to specialized suppliers, technology companies, engineering firms, research organizations, and small businesses that contribute essential components and expertise to defense programs.
Defense Industrial Base organizations depend on complex domestic and global supply chains, advanced manufacturing, information technology, communications, transportation, energy, intellectual property, and a highly skilled workforce. The interconnected nature of these relationships means that disruptions affecting even smaller suppliers can potentially affect larger defense programs and capabilities.
Protecting the Defense Industrial Base requires strong cybersecurity, physical security, supply-chain risk management, protection of sensitive information and intellectual property, and resilience against espionage, cyberattacks, natural hazards, and other disruptions. The U.S. Department of Defense serves as the Sector Risk Management Agency for the Defense Industrial Base Sector and works closely with industry partners to protect capabilities essential to national defense.
