COVID-19 vividly underscores the vulnerability of global manufacturing operations and supply chains. The disruption in our supply chains will hamper manufacturing for months and perhaps years. As we reopen and rebuild our economy, we must focus on sustainable manufacturing operations that are pandemic adaptive, resilient, and secure.
Strengthening and securing manufacturing must be a top priority for our nation (1). While the U.S. has lost its leadership position in critical sectors, we have not lost our ability to innovate. We now face a tremendous opportunity for pervasive strategic overmatch via technology innovation inserted into our manufacturers. Our supply chains need to be PURE: Pandemic Adaptive, including operational modes that accommodate pervasive physical (social) distancing and remote work, Usable and accessible to everyone (e.g., soldiers, factory workforce, engineers), Resilient, agile, and able to withstand physical-world challenges such as pandemics, electrical grid failures, and cyber-attacks; and Economical so resiliency and security are maintained at all levels of the supply chain including small and medium sized manufacturers.
