WEEKLY OUSD A&S CALLS
DAEC has been participating in biweekly-turned-weekly conference calls with the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (OUSD A&S) for updates on COVID-19 policy regulations and impacts to current and future business within the Defense Industrial Base (DIB). As many of you are aware, we are providing weekly webinars to brief members on these updates and collect questions or concerns you would like us to relay on your behalf. Notes on these calls are published to our website, which you make access here.
WEBINAR WITH MICHAEL MILLER, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY
On May 7th, DAEC hosted Mike Miller, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Defense Trade in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs for a live discussion with members. On April 23rd, the State Department Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) announced several new measures that contribute to State Department's efforts to mitigate pandemic impacts to U.S. companies. Miller discussed with us the impact of COVID 19 on his mission, the mitigation program announced April 23rd, and other mitigation measures in the pipeline.
WEBINAR WITH AMBASSADOR DAVID SHEAR: ASIA & DEFENSE
On May 14th, DAEC hosted Ambassador David Shear, former Ambassador to Vietnam and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, for a webinar. Shear is a member of the Defense and Aerospace Export Council’s Advisory Board and provided members with an overview of defense and national security challenges for the U.S. in the Pacific. He reviewed U.S. security concerns before the pandemic in addition to his views on the threats and challenges we may face in a post pandemic Pacific region.
WEBINAR WITH RACHEL ELLEHUUS
On May 28th, DAEC hosted Rachel Ellehuus, deputy director and senior fellow with the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), for a live discussion with members. Rachel shared with us the impacts of the ongoing pandemic in Europe and its relations with the U.S.
CORONAVIRUS: IMPACTS TO THE U.S. DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE
On June 2nd, DAEC published “CORONAVIRUS: IMPACTS TO THE U.S. DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE,” a report assessing the ongoing and potential impacts the pandemic will have to American defense industries. A copy of the report is available here.
MODERNIZING UAV EXPORT POLICYOn June 3rd, DAEC President Keith Webster participated as a guest speaker at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies’ discussion “Modernizing UAV Export Policy for Effective Coalition Forces w/ Heather Penny and Mr. Keith Webster.” The narrative behind this impactful discussion is that legislation needs to reclassify UAV as aircraft not as missiles , therefore confining it from restrictions from the Missile Control Technology Regime (MTCR), which is opening up opportunities for China and closing opportunities for America. To this point, Webster reiterated that “we have proven with our defense industries that we
know how to build equipment and how to secure the equipment from reverse engineering, tampering, and we work with our partners on doing so. Some of that is classified, but we have a proven history of doing this, so I do not accept the argument that we somehow cannot do so on CAT 1 and CAT 2 UAS platforms today and moving forward tomorrow.” Webster’s participation was covered in Airforce Magazine and Breaking Defense and a recording of the discussion is available here.
UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES
On Monday, June 29th at 11:00 AM EST the DAEC is partnering with the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) to discuss their recently published One Flank Report, which focuses on strengthening defense and deterrence on Europe’s eastern flank. Lt. General Ben Hodges, former Commander of US Army Europe and CEPA’s Pershing Chair, will join us for the private briefing. If you wish to attend, please register HERE. For more information on any of the above, please contact Katie Levantovscaia at KLevantovscaia@uschamber.com.
