Bad Idea: Looking for Easy Solutions for PPBE Reform
The defense community needs to manage expectations on PPBE reform and the degree to which it can improve commercial technology adoption, writes Jonathan Wong.
Topic: Budget
Read the most recent CSIS research on the U.S. defense budget.
Analysis of the FY 2022 Defense Budget
This report assesses the Biden administration’s FY 2022 defense budget request. It outlines the priorities and potential effects of ongoing strategic reviews, tracks current congressional action on FY 2022 defense appropriations, and identifies key issues for FY 2023.
Bad Idea: Divest to Invest
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.
Bad Idea: Managing Defense Requirements, Budgets, and Acquisitions via Programs
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.
Bad Idea: Beginning the Fiscal Year on October 1
Continuing to start the fiscal year on October 1 will only perpetuate the current pattern of delayed appropriations and DoD programs, writes Robert Hale.
Data / Acquisition, Budget, Forces, Strategy
The Defense Futures Simulator
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.
What to Look for in the FY 2022 Defense Budget Request
The Biden administration is expected to release its first budget request for FY 2022 in May. While the request was developed predominantly under the previous administration, it will provide some direction as to the national security priorities of the new administration.
Nuclear Modernization under Competing Pressures
The Biden administration will face early decision points regarding the modernization of critical elements of the U.S. nuclear weapons enterprise in an environment buffeted by competing forces and pressures.
Defense Budget Priorities for the Biden Administration
The Biden administration will shape its defense plans in the midst of the ongoing Covid-19 threat and historically large federal deficits. Seamus Daniels explores the budget landscape and potential priorities for the new Defense Department leadership.
Bad Idea: Considering the Debt a Threat to National Security
Austerity hawks who focus overly much on the size of the national debt as an indicator of national security strength are missing the bigger picture. Expected interest rate hikes haven’t materialized, and instead the U.S. is missing opportunities for long-term investment.