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Recognizing the tension between increasing Defense manufacturing within the United State while working close with allies and partners in responding to international crises, Jerry Mcginn offers "four specific realities demonstrate why additional Buy America provisions are counterproductive, unnecessary and ultimately harmful to our industrial base and our national security."
First, a buy-America-only approach is not reflective of how we fight.
Second, as the recent production awards to U.S., Canadian, Polish and Indian firms for the artillery shells illustrate, defense systems are the product of a global defense market. While U.S. companies comprise the preponderance of prime contractors for Department of Defense systems, there are significant capabilities provided by companies headquartered in partner countries.
Third, the direct contributions of U.S. subsidiaries of allied-headquartered companies significantly benefit our domestic industrial base.
The final and most detrimental aspect of additional provisions is that they divert focus away from what the 2022 National Defense Strategy calls the “pacing” national security challenge, China. As COVID-19, Ukraine and the current crisis in the Middle East have demonstrated, the United States and our allies have significant industrial base capacity challenges and supply chain vulnerabilities, particularly with respect to China.