The NDS translates and refines the National Security Strategy (NSS) (produced by the U.S. President's staff and signed by the President) into broad military guidance for military planning, military strategy, force posturing, force constructs, force modernization, etc.
[1] [2] [3][4] [5] [6] The NDS informs another related document, the National Military Strategy (NMS),[a][b] written by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and signed by its Chairman (CJCS).
[7] The NMS and NDS often agree, but since the CJCS's role is to give unfiltered military advice to the government, the NMS is also an opportunity for the CJCS to provide a contrary opinion, however rare.
According to a fact sheet[2] from the Department of Defense the March 2022 version is classified, however an "unclassified NDS will be forthcoming".
[9] In 2018, the NDS became the sole successor to the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR).