Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) President and CEO Eric Fanning expressed approval for the National Defense Industrial Strategy Implementation Plan (NDIS-IP) released by the Department of Defense. The plan is intended to enhance the defense industrial base's capacity and capability.

Fanning remarked, "The American aerospace and defense industry out-innovates, out-paces, and out-performs our competitors, but to do so, we rely on a sound strategy and clear demand signals." He emphasized that the plan sets the foundation for expanding industrial capabilities, thereby strengthening national defense and fostering future technological advancements.

He further noted AIA's satisfaction with the inclusion of performance and outcome metrics tied to six key risk areas in the plan. According to Fanning, these metrics will offer transparency to stakeholders and motivate policymakers to implement risk mitigation strategies.

Fanning also highlighted the importance of understanding the specific metrics that will be included in NDIS-IP's classified report. He urged the Department of Defense to avoid imposing burdensome compliance and reporting requirements during this process. Additionally, he expressed gratitude towards Dr. Laura Taylor-Kale for her leadership role in developing this strategy.

Earlier this year, AIA had shown support for both the initial National Defense Industrial Strategy released by the Department in January and commented on its interim implementation plan in July.