Bad Idea: Failing to Think on the Margins of the Defense Budget
Defense budgeting discussions frequently feature all-or-nothing thinking. But considering the marginal costs and benefits of additional spending can lead to better spending decisions.
Topic: Acquisition
Read the most recent CSIS research on Department of Defense acquisition policy and contracting trends.
Bad Idea: Excluding Qualified Leaders from Pentagon Service Because of Defense Industry Experience
The Pentagon needs strong leadership. Qualified candidates should not be excluded for their defense industry ties — especially as history has shown these individuals lead with integrity and skill.
Modernizing the Nuclear Enterprise in the Era of Rapid Prototyping
The U.S. nuclear enterprise is going through a cycle of modernization that touches practically every system in the arsenal. This modernization push requires the nuclear enterprise to engage deeply with the defense acquisition system in a way it has not since its last major modernization cycle in the 1980s.
Online Event: Covid-19’s Impact on the Defense Budget and Defense Supply Chain
Watch this discussion on the effects of the Covid-19 crisis on the defense supply chain and its implications for the defense budget featuring Todd Harrison, Andrew Hunter, and Mackenzie Eaglen of AEI.
Securing U.S. Access to Rare Earth Elements
Control over the production of critical minerals necessary for defense manufacturing processes is a new feature of the escalating tensions between the United States and China. This report explores the state of the supply chain for rare earth elements, a type of critical mineral, the near-monopoly that China holds over it, and potential options for the United States to secure access to those minerals.
Covid-19 is Attacking Our Defense Supply Chains and Our Nation’s Security
The damage happening today in the aviation sector is highly likely to spill over into the defense industrial base through defense supply chains. Recognizing and addressing this reality is essential to avoid profound long-term damage to national security.
Sino-Russian Military-Technical Cooperation: A Primer
China and Russia have prioritized strengthening their bilateral defense relationship in recent years. This report examines a key aspect of Sino-Russian defense ties, military-technical cooperation (MTC), and offers recommendations for U.S. policymakers.
The Great Unwinding: The U.S.-Turkey Arms Sales Dispute
March marks a critical month for U.S.-Turkish relations, chiefly on the topic of Ankara’s recent acquisition of the S-400 from Russia. Asya Akca and Greg Sanders answers the critical questions surrounding the issue.
Actual Obligation Rates versus Comptroller Projected Obligation Rates
Seamus Daniels and Todd Harrison assess budget execution for DoD acquisition accounts. This report compares obligation rate projections released by the DoD Comptroller with traditional DoD budget execution benchmarks and the actual obligation rates for acquisition accounts.
Bad Idea: Blaming OCO for Our Defense Budget Blunders
Critics of Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funds point to regular base budget activities funded under OCO and its use to skirt discretionary spending limits. However, blaming OCO for our defense budget blunders, or calling for its complete elimination, punishes those who need OCO’s benefits without effectively punishing those who’ve instigated its abuse.