Steven L. Basham, U.S. Air Forces in Europe deputy commander. Speaking at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies event "Transatlantic Security After 75 Years of NATO" on May 10, Basham noted that the West's defense industrial base is also accelerating: "Make no mistake. It's picking up speed. It will continue to accelerate past the capability of Russia. The time that is being spent by Russia inside Ukraine is also time that we have to get our industrial base to where it needs to be."Lt. Basham said that Russia, once renowned for its defense exports, now appears to be increasingly reliant on importing both equipment and technology, notably from China. "The challenges that Russia faces in their own equipment, they're actually making up for by developing that relationship with China.