Title: Defense Industrial Base
Course: 2016FA-MCO-115-401 > Section: Module 8: Defense Industrial Base

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Defense Industrial Base Sector

The Defense Industrial Base (DIB) Sector is comprised of the components that make it possible to defend the United States. The included elements are those that meet the needs of the United States military and make, “…possible research and development, design, production, delivery and maintenance of military weapons systems, subsystems, and components or parts…” [1].

The DIB sector interacts with other critical infrastructure sectors such as transportation, energy, communications, and Information Technology.

Why is DIB Considered Critical Infrastructure?

The DIB sector provides the essential products and services that keep our military operating. Without these products and services, we would be unable to mobilize and deploy troops when necessary, and would not be able to keep our military in readily working order. In other words, without DIB, our country would be seriously vulnerable.

Regulation and Support

The Department of Defense (DoD) is the Sector Specific Agency (SSA) responsible for the DIB. The DoD works collaboratively with inter-agency partners and members from the private sector in a partnership that has over 100,000 DIB companies.

Parts of the DIB

There are nine sub-systems that are classified as a part of the DIB sector. The DoD calls these sub-systems “Industry Segments” [2, p. 26].

Aircraft – Includes fixed and rotary wing as well as unmanned aerial systems

Ships – Includes surface, sub-surface, and unmanned underwater vehicles

Tracked and Wheeled Land vehicles – Includes combat, tactical, and unmanned ground vehicles

Electronics – Includes electronic warfare, command, control, communications, computer and intelligence, and avionics

Soldier Systems – Includes chemical biological defense systems, clothing and textiles, subsistence, and medical

Structural – Includes castings and forgings, composites, armor, and precious metals

Munitions – Includes tactical, strategic, air to air, air to surface, defense, surface to air, and surface to surface missiles, precision guided munitions, ammunition, and the Missile Defense Agency

Space – Includes launch vehicles, satellites, and the Missile Defense Agency

Mechanical – Includes transmissions, propulsion, hydraulics, bearings, and nuclear components