Abstract
Numerous problems affect the mobilization capability of U.S. defense industry. These include legal requirements; the recent growth in lead times—perhaps the most meaningful indicator of defense industry responsiveness—and factors which determine this responsiveness, such as the adequacy of raw material supplies, investment in new processes and technologies, machine-tool industry capacity, availability of subcontractors, contractor productivity, and requirements imposed by socioeconomic policies. Mobilization capability is not a static phenomenon: it can either improve or deteriorate. Efforts to improve mobilization capability will also increase the efficiency of defense industry and its ability to meet near-term demands; failure to address these problems over the near term will result in continued deterioration of industry mobilization capability and responsiveness to short-term as well as long-range needs.
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