《四年期國防總檢討》對美國及我國是一份重要的國防建設文件。本文歸納1997年迄今美國四次《四年期國防總檢討》在戰略環境認定、國防戰略選項及規畫設計理念三面向之經驗,並提出《四年期國防總檢討》中的國防戰略選項應該與當下客觀戰略環境有相當連結;計畫邏輯理念則應針對國防優先順序與客觀資源限制進行檢討,以利建構一份「可負擔之能力部署計畫」。《四年期國防總檢討》是一持續檢討、策進、學習、溝通與課責的機制,應成為國防建設的指導文件。
The Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) is an important defense document for the U.S. and the Republic of China. The U.S. has promulgated four QDRs since 1997. The study examines the experiences of how the U.S. in its four QDRs determined its strategic environment, national defense strategies, and planning concepts. The findings suggest that the planners try to be pragmatic and endeavor to accomplish three goals: (1) to prevent a significant deviation between the defined strategic environment and the chosen national defense strategies in the QDR; (2) to assure an affordable capability-based deployment plan by balancing between national defense priorities and limited resources; and (3) to make the QDR a guiding mechanism of continuous review, improvement, learning, communication and accountability.