Read the most recent CSIS research on Department of Defense acquisition policy and contracting trends.
DoD has recently made efforts to improve the speed of innovation in defense, creating new organizations intended to improve innovation. But continuing down this path of “innovation theater” does little to change how the defense enterprise operates and adopts innovative ideas and technologies.
The release of the next National Defense Strategy, expected in early 2022, will address the continued importance of China as a “pacing threat” even as it recognizes the “increasingly complicated and complex security landscape.” As the renewed potential for great power conflict drives strategy and plans, some have dubbed this a “new Cold War.” Letting this planning construct drive DoD’s investment program without paying attention to other kinds of potential contingencies is a bad idea.
As DoD pushes to divest legacy platforms, it must consider whether existing forces are capable of meeting operational demands without straining personnel and platforms. If not, the mission set may need to change.
Instead of following operational processes that are centered on ever-changing programmatic objectives, DoD ought to focus its efforts at the portfolio level and drive mission impact.
ISP senior fellow John Schaus answers the pressing questions regarding the AUKUS announcement.
Integrating detailed budget data, decades of subject matter expertise, and sophisticated data science, the Defense Futures Simulator serves as a publicly available resource to understand how much the United States spends to achieve its defense objectives, and how that might change in the future.
Defense acquisition policy has undergone significant reform over the past several years. The Biden administration will likely focus on implementing those reforms as it prioritizes developing emerging technologies and achieving domestic policy goals.
Artificial intelligence may be used in ways that do not directly involve or are not immediately recognizable to senior decisionmakers. These areas of AI application are far left of an operational decision or decision to launch and include four priority sectors: (1) security and defense; (2) intelligence activities and indications and warning; (3) modeling and simulation, optimization, and data analytics; and (4) logistics and maintenance.
The Department of Defense is prioritizing speed in its acquisitions and development strategy. However, fixating on speed could lead to issues with program management, sustainment, and other areas.
Congress and DoD both agree that the U.S. needs a space-based system of missile tracking sensors. But disagreement over which agency should oversee its development threatens to undercut the project.