Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities

United States Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities
Seal of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, & Capabilities
Flag of an Assistant Secretary of Defense
Incumbent Madeline Mortelmans Acting  since March 17, 2025
United States Department of Defense
Abbreviation	ASD(SPC)
Reports to	Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
Appointer	The President with Senate advice and consent
Term length	Appointed
Constituting instrument	10 U.S.C. § 138
Formation	January 9, 2015
First holder	Robert M. Scher
Website	Official website

The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities (ASD(SPC)) is a position in the United States Department of Defense responsible for the overall supervision of DoD policy for strategy, capabilities, forces and contingency plans necessary to implement the national defense strategy.^[1] The officeholder reports to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.

On January 9, 2015 Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert O. Work established the position of Assistant Secretary of Defense (Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities) in accordance with section 906 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, as amended, PL 111-84, which eliminated all nonpresidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed Deputy Under Secretaries of Defense. The Assistant Secretary of Defense (Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities) replaced and assumed the responsibilities of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Strategy, Plans, and Forces).^[2] The Assistant Secretary of Defense (Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities) gained responsibility for advising the Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy) on the development of national security and defense strategy, military planning, budgeting, and various force development, force management, and corporate processes. This position also assumed responsibility for security cooperation, previously managed by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict.^[3]

The ASD (SPC) is supported by four Deputy Assistant Secretaries (DASDs), each with coverage of a different mission area:

• Deputy assistant secretary of defense for force development and emerging capabilities
• Deputy assistant secretary of defense for global partnerships
• Deputy assistant secretary of defense for plans and posture
• Deputy assistant secretary of defense for strategy

The table below includes the holders of this office.