The FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) contains many important provisions that will strengthen the military—however, this version should do much more to fund core components of military readiness at an adequate level. The direction of the bill is largely correct, with provisions to strengthen the Armed Forces and deter China. The bill does not fully align funding with strategy, because it does not focus on the ships, planes, and munitions that will be needed this decade to deter conflict in the Indo–Pacific region.