Archive: Kathleen Hicks @DepSecDefHicks

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In the wake of Russia’s unjust, full-scale invasion of Ukraine, I assembled an international coalition of some 50 countries to help Ukraine fight for its freedom. I'm proud of everything we accomplished to ensure Ukraine has the capabilities it needs to defend itself.

Today I spoke with members of the Defense Innovation Board. Their support for our efforts to catalyze innovation within the @DeptofDefense and the defense industrial base has been invaluable. Innovation is a never-ending imperative for DoD. More: defense.gov/News/Releases/…

LIVE: @DepSecDef Kathleen Hicks delivers remarks at Johns Hopkins University

Join me today via livestream as I deliver remarks on “Outpacing the PRC: Lessons Learned for Strategic Competition” and join a fireside chat with @SAISHopkins Professor Thomas Mahnken. Strategic competition with the PRC has been a top priority under @SecDef Austin's leadership, and I look forward to sharing our accomplishments and insights. Watch the livestream here: defense.gov/News/Live-Even…

Today, I hosted my final Ukraine Defense Contact Group as Secretary of Defense. As a collective, we’ve committed & provided more than $122 billion of security assistance to Ukraine as they fight to protect their people & their sovereignty from Russian aggression. I am incredibly proud of everything we’ve achieved together.

As we head into the new year, it’s important to reflect on the myriad of challenges we’ve tackled as a team to defend our nation, take care of our people, and succeed through teamwork with like-minded partners and allies. We succeed because Americans from all backgrounds and walks of life are able to serve our nation and defend our ideals. In the coming year, I look forward to seeing the strategic investments we have made over the last four years continue to propel our national security forward to overcome new challenges and defend our democratic ideals and our way of life.

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#Putin's aggression led to clearer, more public conversations about the transatlantic defense industrial base and the challenges of capability production at scale, enabling us to make necessary investments to get after those challenges. As a result, we are maximizing production of key munitions — including newer, lower-cost munitions — for a range of warfighting scenarios; investing in our shipbuilding and submarine industrial base, which also matters for #AUKUS; using on-shoring and friend-shoring to secure supply chains, from critical minerals to microchips; and expanding co-development, co-production, and co-sustainment with allies and partners. We're doing all this because production is deterrence. The war in #Ukraine galvanized democratic societies to jump-start their industries and deepen their stockpiles to better deter aggression and prepare for the future.

The Department of Defense mourns the loss of President Jimmy Carter at age 100—a principled leader, America's longest-lived president, a great son of Georgia, a steadfast champion of human rights and democratic ideals, and a sailor in the U.S. Navy. Read my full statement.

Putin planned to take over Ukraine within 10 days. To date, he's missed his target timeline 100 times over. He underestimated Ukraine's will to fight, and ability to innovate. No one should underestimate the ability of an educated, networked, capable society to self-organize and resist aggression- and the will of the collective international community to aid in the support of democratic ideals worldwide.

Throughout the @DeptofDefense, our service members and civilians continue to stand watch through the holiday season, ensuring security for our nation and supporting our partners and allies worldwide. We are grateful for the support of the more than 2 million dedicated civil servants who serve a common purpose: the defense of our nation and our democratic ideals- so that we can enjoy peace and security at home.

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The Department’s recently-released China Military Power Report demonstrates the depth and breadth of our pacing challenge. It also shows how critical our strategy-aligned investments are to deterring PRC aggression against the United States, our allies and partners; and defending our core national security interests- and the key to deterrence is being able to win if called to fight. More: media.defense.gov/2024/Dec/18/20…

During the holidays, I look forward to connecting with our deployed service members to thank them for their outsized contributions to U.S. national security. It was a pleasure to speak this morning with service members from the @usairforce 480th Expeditionary Fighter Generation Squadron, deployed to @CENTCOM in support of our air combat and training needs. We are proud of you.

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A global security mission means our @USNavy is always on watch. Today I spoke with sailors aboard the USS Gettysburg (CG 64) who are charged with defending the Harry S. Truman Strike Group in the @US_EUCOM and @CENTCOM theater of operations. Through your role with the Strike Group and exercises with European partners, you are enhancing U.S., European, and Middle East security. Keep up the great work.

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I enjoyed speaking with service members today from the @USArmy 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade. The @2SFAB is advising and supporting Djiboutian forces in Africa to strengthen their capabilities. A big thank you to you and your families for your commitment and service this holiday season. @USAfricaCommand

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#Putin’s aggression has led to clearer, more public conversations about the transatlantic defense industrial base and the challenges of capability production at scale. Defense industry production is deterrence. The war in #Ukraine galvanized democratic societies to jump-start their industries and deepen their stockpiles to better deter aggression and prepare for the future.

You can have all the elements of an advanced military on paper, but if you can’t bring it all together into an integrated system-of-systems, if you don’t have consistent operational know-how, winning is tough. This is why we have focused over the last four years on making investments into the advanced concepts and capabilities like CJADC2 and autonomous systems that will prepare our warfighters to rapidly communicate and deliver battlefield effects.

I would like to thank our @DefenceHQ colleagues for the deep spirit of cooperation and friendship we continue to enjoy. From NATO to AUKUS and beyond, the U.S. and the UK are fortunate to be among dozens of like-minded friends and allies who are partners of choice. We share values. We train together. It’s the result of decades — in some cases centuries — of mutual investment in our relationships. We can never take that for granted.

As generative #AI capabilities advance, we are ensuring the @DeptofDefense is structured to swiftly and safely adopt this transformational technology while managing risks. We know our organization must be as adaptive as the new tech that we’re leveraging to sharpen our competitive edge. Creating the AI Rapid Capabilities Cell under @DODCDAO will further accelerate the development and deployment of America’s world-leading AI capabilities through rapid experimentation and integration. defense.gov/News/Releases/…