NSA Motivated by Threat Posed by China

The mission, people and partnerships are driving the National Security Agency today, and a major part of the mission-motivational aspect is the desire and need to beat the competition and outpace China, said Tim Kosiba, deputy director at the National Security Agency, at TechNet Augusta 2026.  

The intense pursuit to attain superiority is compelling NSA leaders to fundamentally change the way they do things and to create new partnerships and strengthen existing ones with academia, industry and the United States’ Five Eyes (FVEYs) allies—Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.  

“Building all this up and growing these relationships in new directions is a priority based on guidance from the top: from the White House, the Pentagon and the director of national intelligence (DNI),” Kosiba said. “This includes attempts to make it easier, I won't say easy, but easier to do business with us.” 

The deputy director of the NSA further explained that the agency is leveraging other transaction authorities for its highest priority efforts and taking additional measures to alleviate administrative burdens, which will accelerate and flush out a process that is traditionally slow and burdensome.  

These changes are in response to the evolving threat presented by China to the United States, which is evident in a plethora of ways and areas of the modern-day fight, including intelligence, homeland security and an extensive reach to every region of the world. 

On the intelligence side, Chinese companies have provided the Iranian military with geospatial intelligence that they have used to attack bases occupied by U.S. and allied forces. Additionally, China has collaborated with Russia during what Kosiba called its unprovoked war against Ukraine. More specifically, China has distributed drone technology, training resources and other intelligence information to Russian forces. 

In terms of homeland security, Chinese firms are the main supplier of chemicals used to produce drugs that kill nearly 100,000 Americans every year, per Kosiba.   

Furthermore, even though the United States and China are located on opposite sides of the map, China’s widespread and significant impact in nearly every corner of the globe makes it an extremely effective force and credible adversary.  

“This [threat] isn’t just about the South China Sea and U.S. Pacific Command, but [this threat] is everywhere, because the footprints of China’s influence are everywhere,” Kosiba warned. “You can see their presence, usually adversarial to us and our allies, in nearly every engagement we have fought in recently, and wherever we seek to defend ourselves and our allies. It does not matter whether you’re talking about Greenland or Antarctica, Iran or the Ukraine, in the Near East or in the Korean Peninsula or the Western Hemisphere; they are there often acting as spoilers and disruptors and acting counter to our own objectives, interests and ambitions.” 

Despite the difficulties, challenges and pressure that China presents, Kosiba voiced his confidence that U.S. forces are ready.  

“While we will never have as many people as they do, and there is something to the idea that quantity has its own quality, I believe we have the edge,” Kosiba said. “We can out-innovate them and do integration better than anyone, but they will push us, and we must push back collectively by using all the levers of power smartly and strategically.” 

“Competition with China and the advancement of technology is not only increasing the need to succeed, but it also brings home the reality that not only can we do this, but also we must do it, and we are,” Kosiba ensured. “The fact is that this is a race we absolutely must win.” 

TechNet Augusta is organized by AFCEA International with help from the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence. SIGNAL Media is the official media of AFCEA International.