Gen. John Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the Department of Defense needs to emphasize on speed in response to the global power competition, DoD News reported Friday. He said the U.S. isn't moving as fast as its competitors, and cited China's use of economy in support of the Asian country's military.
"Their economic strategy is tied very tightly to their military, because every technology that's in China is available for military use," Hyten, also a two-time Wash100 Award winner, said.
He also referenced North Korea's economic growth and development of nuclear and ballistic missiles. Hyten noted that the U.S. must learn to take risks, learn from mistakes and develop defense technologies with speed.
"We've got to embrace the elements of this country that are going fast, where we know how to do things," he said.