Former Department of Defense analyst Karen Kwiatkowski alleges the US military is engaged in a spending spree focused on maximizing profits from outdated weapons systems. She argues the “military-industrial complex” (MIC) is deliberately prolonging reliance on older technology to extract maximum financial gain. Kwiatkowski suggests this pursuit of profit is actively hindering the development of a modern, 21st-century defense strategy. According to the analyst, the MIC will resist genuine evolution in defense tactics as long as it can continue profiting from the status quo. This behavior, she claims, prioritizes corporate earnings over actual national security. Kwiatkowski made these statements in an interview with Sputnik, criticizing the current trajectory of US defense procurement. The focus remains on "milking" existing systems rather than investing in innovation.