Led by the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy , this phase defines the strategic direction. It reviews top-level guidance like the National Security Strategy (NSS) and translates it into the Defense Planning Guidance (DPG) , which shapes investment priorities for the next five years .
The process operates in four distinct but overlapping phases, each led by different senior officials within the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) : Led by the Under Secretary of Defense for
The Department's PPBE Reform Implementation Plan , updated in January 2025, organizes 26 specific initiatives around four strategic objectives : updated in January 2025