China, climate change and new technologies top concerns in latest U.S. National Intelligence Strategy

With the release of the 2023 National Intelligence Strategy (NIS) last week, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines laid out the goals of the Intelligence Community (IC) for the next four years.

“The National Intelligence Strategy articulates what the Intelligence Community will need to cultivate to be effective in the future: an information and technological edge, a broad array of partnerships, and a talented and diverse workforce as we pursue our vision of an IC that embodies America’s values,” Haines said. “It also highlights the expanding role of the IC in supporting the resilience of our national critical infrastructure and that of our allies and partners.”

The NIS outlined a series of goals/concerns of focus: the competition between the United States, China, and Russia; the importance of emerging technologies, supply chains and economics in modern national security; the growing influence of sub-national and non-state actors; and challenges spurred by converging global challenges, including climate change and health security. These were decided upon based on input from each of 18 intelligence elements.

“The NIS recognizes a growing competition between democracies and autocracies. Competition spurs innovation, fresh thinking, and, when necessary, action,” Gen. Paul Nakasone, director of the National Security Agency (NSA), said. “The NIS identifies six priority goals that will protect not only our nation but also our partners in the years ahead.”

The Intelligence Community, in this context, includes organizations like the NSA, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and more.