Business Executives for National Security

At last night's Fall Eisenhower Award Gala with an audience of business and national security leaders, BENS President and CEO General Timothy Ray, USAF (Ret.), reflected on President Eisenhower’s approach to steer a nation in a time of global uncertainty.

"Even when others thought the world was coming apart, he never lost hope that we would succeed,” he shared. “...America is at its best when we come together and recognize that ensuring our security and prosperity is a shared responsibility, one in which every member of society has a unique role to play…Not just the public sector or the private sector – but all of us working together.”

As we face evolving risks and opportunities in today's world, BENS members continue to step forward to help our nation meet this moment.

📢 Applications are open!

is seeking motivated individuals to become spring national security fellows.

Help us tackle our nation's most pressing security challenges and develop subject matter expertise on issues like critical infrastructure, geopolitics and economic insights, technology, and more.

Apply now ⤵️
https://bit.ly/3TAMwwg

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Helping advance our nation's defense infrastructure? BENS members are up to the task. ✅

Our nation’s highest-ranking military officer, General Charles Q. Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recently met with BENS members to discuss key challenges and opportunities around human capital, integrated deterrence, and emerging technologies. They also covered BENS' ongoing modernization efforts.

Thank you to BENS Director Mark Shenkman who hosted this discussion in NYC–one of our many, ongoing conversations on how BENS can support the national security community to continue safeguarding our nation.

The Joint Staff | |

On the last Sunday of September, the nation observes Gold Star Mother's and Family's Day, honoring the surviving mothers and families of fallen service members. This day recognizes the ultimate sacrifice made by these service members while acknowledging their families' loss, grief, and ongoing healing.

The key foreign relationships for American presidents have historically been with democratic allies in Europe, the Middle East and East Asia. But there is one nation that is not a formal security ally but can become a natural partner for U.S. national security and economic interests: .

Read more from The Hill: https://bit.ly/3TLJBkF

The U.S.-India relationship will shape the 21st century How America approaches its relations with India may determine the balance of global power for the 21st century.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲: Of 17 dry docks across our four public naval shipyards, only 12 can accommodate the Virginia-class submarines, and even fewer—just seven—are capable of handling the larger Block V Virginia-class submarines. U.S. Navy's shipyard infrastructure is critically outdated and insufficient to meet current and future demands of a global fleet.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Leverage private capital to modernize our shipyards so U.S. submarines can spend more time at sea and less time waiting for repairs.

Business Executives for National Security (BENS) applauds the Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro and CapZone Impact Investments LLC for working together to launch the United Submarine Alliance (USA) Qualified Opportunity Fund, a public-private platform to connect the U.S. Navy, investors, suppliers, and local leaders to enhance defense readiness through economic collaboration. We must accelerate these types of solutions. Our capacity to defend our Nation and project power globally cannot delay.

Read More ⬇️

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⏰ The BENS Eisenhower Award Gala is just four weeks away!

Join us Oct. 23 in NYC to honor two American leaders–Anne Altman and General Christopher Cavoli–dedicated to safeguarding our nation's future and upholding the values that make us strong.

Reserve your table now ⤵️
https://bit.ly/3XyX4gu

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Events - Registration Form - Eisenhower Dinner - Business Executives for National Security Membership payments and other charitable donations are non-refundable. Please see our website for full details about payments here.

In a recent Op-Ed for The New York Times, BENS member Raj Shah, along with Christopher Kirchoff, argue that the U.S. military is not adequately equipped to handle the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons systems, which are fundamentally changing the nature of warfare.

The military’s current technology, including jets, ships, and tanks, is not adequately prepared to defend against the rising use of drones and AI-driven systems. This lack of readiness could create significant challenges in future conflicts where these technologies play a central role.

Read their insights ⬇️

Opinion | The U.S. Military Is Not Ready for the New Era of Warfare It is not prepared for the fact that artificial-intelligence-powered autonomous weapons systems are changing the fundamental nature of war.

The People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) rapid military modernization and the fielding of next-generation systems could challenge the preeminence of the U.S. and its allies, including Australia, in the Indo-Pacific.

A recent report by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace highlights the critical need for allied technology leadership, explores recent national and collaborative innovation initiatives, and identifies opportunities for progress and advancement to aid with development of capabilities that could contribute to deterrence or increase the likelihood of victory in war.

By fostering technology development and optimizing existing capabilities, the U.S. and Australia can better prepare for both current challenges and the long-term risks posed by the PRC's expanding military capabilities and intentions. Establishing a sustainable increase in technology and industry capacity in both countries to ensure future resilience is essential.

Innovative Alliance: U.S.-Australian Defense Science and Technology Cooperation for a Dangerous Decade Maintaining an edge in defense science and technology is one part of the U.S. and Australian strategy to deter war or increase the likelihood of victory in war.

The explosion of thousands of pagers and other devices in Lebanon last week highlights a troubling escalation in the use of supply chains as a weapon against adversaries.

This incident amplifies the urgency for global leaders to reduce dependence on rival technologies and underscores the critical need for strategic supply chain resilience in today’s geopolitical landscape.

Read more from Bloomberg ⬇️

Exploding Pagers Sound Global Alarm for Supply-Chain Security Thousands of pagers and other devices exploding in Lebanon this week mark a new and deadly escalation in the use of supply chains against adversaries, giving new urgency to global leaders’ drive to reduce their dependence on technologies from rivals.

On National POW/MIA Recognition Day, we remember those who served and were prisoners of war, and those who remain missing in action.

Our nation honors their sacrifices and will never stop fighting to bring them all home.🇺🇸