The Department of Defense published its 2026 National Defense Strategy. Dated January 23, 2026, this 34-page document outlines the current security environment and describes the DoD’s strategic approach. The NDS is a follow-on document for the National Security Strategy (dated Nov 2025) released by the White House.
The “Homeland” and “Western Hemisphere” are priority. The threats are China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. The strategic approach entails four “Lines of Effort”:
- Line of Effort 1: Defend the U.S. Homeland
- Line of Effort 2: Deter China in the Indo-Pacific Through Strength, Not Confrontation
- Line of Effort 3: Increase Burden-Sharing with U.S. Allies and Partners
- Line of Effort 4: Supercharge the U.S. Defense Industrial Base
2026 National Defense Strategy, PDF, 34 pages.
https://media.defense.gov/2026/Jan/23/2003864773/-1/-1/0/2026-NATIONAL-DEFENSE-STRATEGY.PDF
