US President Donald Trump’s nominee for the second highest role in the Pentagon has vowed to increase efficiencies in the defence budget by getting the private sector involved in ramping up advanced technology development to counter China.
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Billionaire investor Stephen Feinberg, who was nominated as deputy defence secretary in December, told a confirmation hearing that he would align more closely with the private sector to defeat China’s growing military capabilities.
Appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, Feinberg said that, if confirmed, he would bring his private equity experience to make cuts at the Pentagon to achieve greater efficiency and financial accountability.
This would encourage competition, making for a better defence acquisition process and ensuring the US military will be able to secure cutting-edge technology.
According to Feinberg, Washington has “shortages” in the cutting-edge technologies it needs to “beat China”, which he called the biggest and most challenging threat to the US.
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Feinberg went on to list shipbuilding, aircraft development, nuclear modernisation, cyber defence, hypersonics, counterspace capabilities, and counter-drone platforms as the key advanced technologies that the US needs to focus on.