Analysis of the FY 2021 Defense Budget
In their latest analysis, Todd Harrison and Seamus P. Daniels outline overall trends in the defense budget, changes in the FY 2021 request, and issues for Congress and the next administration to consider.
Topic: Budget
Read the most recent CSIS research on the U.S. defense budget.
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.
DoD Must Identify Its ‘Crown Jewels’ in Preparation for Fiscal Uncertainty
The Defense Department should start preparing now for an uncertain post-coronavirus budget environment. It should clearly identify the “crown jewel” capabilities it cannot sacrifice, start cutting end strength and lower priority force structure, and prepare for a robust debate over global security commitments and budget constraints.
Covid-19 Response: Pentagon Gets A Real $8.3B Slush Fund
Mark Cancian analyzes the Pentagon’s share of a $45.8 billion government-wide funding package to help it cope with the disruptions of sickness and quarantine from the COVID-19 virus.
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.
What to Look for in the FY 2021 Defense Budget Request
The Trump administration is expected to release its FY 2021 defense budget request on February 10, 2020, the final budget submitted in the BCA era. In this brief, experts from the CSIS International Security Program outline major issues to watch in the FY 2021 defense budget.
Analysis of the FY 2020 Defense Budget and Its Implications for FY 2021 and Beyond
The Trump administration characterized its FY 2020 defense budget request as a “masterpiece.” The CSIS Defense Budget Analysis program provides its assessment of the budget, its implications for future defense spending, and FY 2020 appropriations.
Bad Idea: Management Jointness in DoD
Jointness, meaning cross-service cooperation, is generally a good thing. But one can have too much of a good thing, and the Pentagon has too much jointness. Jointness in organizing military operations makes so much sense that the concept is overprescribed. Enhancing interservice competition for resources and relevance would encourage military innovation, civilian control, and economies in the vast Pentagon budget.
Bad Ideas in National Security Podcast
In this episode of The Truth of the Matter podcast, host Andrew Schwartz welcomes Kathleen Hicks, Andrew Hunter, and Todd Harrison from the CSIS International Security Program to discuss the Bad Ideas in National Security series. In addition to analyzing their own pieces, they nominate their frontrunners for what might be considered the “worst” bad idea.
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.