IT’S COMING WHETHER WE WANT IT OR NOT: The Case for Full-Spectrum Competition with China.

There are signs of changing attitudes. U.S. firms are realizing that the CCP has no intention of limiting predatory technology transfers, increasing market access, or ending state-sponsored industrial espionage. Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum, Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos cautioned, “If big tech is going to turn their backs on the Department of Defense, this country is in trouble. That just can’t happen.”7

The Sea Services must make outreach a priority and develop collaborative models for working with tech companies. The Army Futures Command is one model. Based in Austin, Texas, the command is tasked with accelerating Army modernization in key emerging technologies such as 3D printing. Army officers are donning civilian attire, engaging with start-ups, and experimenting with novel procurement models.8 Ultimately, organizations such as Futures Command or the Defense Innovation Unit humanize the services to people who may have no connection to the military but will nevertheless be crucial partners in sustaining the U.S. technological edge.

Alongside business, academia will be a crucial partner in sustaining the nation’s technological overmatch. U.S. universities and research institutions are targets of an ongoing Chinese espionage campaign seeking to steal government-funded research and intellectual property.

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