Unlocking New Sources of Techno-Security Advantage

Fall 2020 Roundtable Insights Paper

The series of discussions hosted by the Silicon Valley Defense Group in the fall of 2020 sought to explore the challenges to developing a sustained, durable techno-security advantage in the face of a increasingly competitive environment. We acknowledge at the outset that an enormous amount of research and analysis has already been undertaken to address these themes. This document does not seek to reiterate a comprehensive summary of all ideas that have been expressed on these topics, but to highlight insights generated by the rich dialogues in the series and to suggest novel areas for immediate and future action by those parties able to advance U.S. techno-security.

We recognize that implementing any of these expert recommendations will require public sector leaders, private sector investors, and technologists and innovators in both civilian and military roles to achieve mutual understanding, alignment of incentives, and the resurgence of a robust defense innovation ecosystem. At the same time, trust between the defense and innovation communities has grown brittle. We saw no better way to begin to bridge this gap than by fostering robust dialogue and debate. 

Up to now, the U.S. Department of Defense has prioritized maintaining the readiness of its legacy military posture, while making modest investments in innovation.  Sustaining this posture has made it challenging to shift DoD’s focus to the full range of digital capabilities this moment demands. Now the U.S. government must confront the problematic reality that we are losing -- or have lost -- our global position as an unrivaled military power.  We must employ all means necessary to compete technologically, economically, and geopolitically. In order to do so, Congress must consider a bottom-up approach to industrial policy—in which DoD defines target outcomes and serves as a fast follower of technologies developed in the commercial sector. We see no other path to the innovation at speed and scale that would restore a techno-security advantage to America and its allies.

To sustain political support for DoD’s investment in and procurement of new commercial technologies, the public needs to understand the nature of the challenge that the United States faces. Public hearings about the pace of China’s technological advances and their ethical implications will be vital in helping the American public and its allies understand the magnitude of the threat the U.S. faces. A coordinated public engagement campaign on this topic should inform citizens -- and in some cases, their leaders – of how leadership in strategic technologies will shape the future of allied democracies, free markets, and human rights. Partisan differences between Democrats and Republicans has up to now yielded disagreement on the appropriate U.S. posture towards China, one compounded by the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moving forward, it will be vital for political leaders to adopt a “country first” mentality, setting aside their domestic differences to do what it takes to ensure the U.S. retains its global position.

The Silicon Valley Defense Group looks forward to a future in which we serve as allies to policymakers, servicemembers, investors, entrepreneurs, and established industry players, bringing these important partners together around shared complex challenges to develop and execute solutions. Our hope is that this paper will serve as a starting point for discussion, and that robust and substantive actions swiftly follow.

Sam Gray

Executive Director

To access the report, click here.