Pursuing new opportunities in 2017.

• Author: Ashworth, Sid
• Position: Chair's Perspective

* As members of the national security community, we believe that a stronger defense makes for a safer America. In the midst of a historic transition in government that will result in many changes to strategic priorities and defense policy, we anticipate new opportunities to engage with defense leaders to make a positive impact during 2017.

While we all know that the new president will be sworn into office this month, I would also like to recognize that a new presidential administration and an incoming Congress heralds massive change throughout our government.

Over the next year, the president will appoint 300 civilian defense leaders, 60 of whom require Senate confirmation. In Congress, there will be 57 new members in the House and seven new senators. On top of the general turnover, more and more members of Congress do not have military experience. From 1974 to 2016, the number of members who served in the military declined from about 75 percent to less than 20 percent. This generally reflects trends in reduced military service across our country, but it increases the need for the National Defense Industrial Association to provide a persuasive case in favor of a strong national defense.

As we experience substantial turnover in executive leadership and Congress, the global security environment is one area where I expect continuity with recent trends. Countries like Russia, China, North Korea and Iran will continue their efforts to undermine the longstanding international order that supported regional and global stability during the past 60 years. Some of these countries will also seek to more aggressively increase their influence or test the United States' international commitments during a time of leadership transition. All of this will take place during a time when U.S. forces remain actively engaged in military operations in places like Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq. History has shown that international challenges often occur during the early stages of a new administration.

The growth in global challenges is occurring at a time when rapid technological change is reducing many operational advantages the U.S. military possessed for the past several decades. Potential adversaries continue to pursue new options for the deployment of nuclear weapons, develop longer range surveillance and strike weapons, and undermine the cybersexcurity of U.S. government and industry information systems. For the past several years, senior defense leaders have...