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: Forces
Read the most recent CSIS research on U.S. military force structure.
Covid-19 Response Update: November 13-November 20
A roundup of the developments in the military’s response to Covid-19 from November 13-November 20 by the CSIS International Security Program.
Covid-19 Response Update: November 6-November 13
A roundup of the developments in the military’s response to Covid-19 from November 6-November 13 by the CSIS International Security Program.
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.
Covid-19 Response Update: October 30-November 6
A roundup of the developments in the military’s response to Covid-19 from October 30-November 6 by the CSIS International Security Program.
Adapting to the Hypersonic Era
Conventional hypersonic strike weapons may undermine deterrence by complicating early-warning and increasing the vulnerability of forward-based forces to surprise attack below the nuclear threshold. Nevertheless, history shows that adaptation to strategically disruptive technologies is possible.
Covid-19 Response Update: October 23-October 30
A roundup of the developments in the military’s response to Covid-19 from October 23-October 30 by the CSIS International Security Program.
U.S. Military Forces in FY 2021: Army
The Army plans for a slow expansion while continuing to take steps towards modernization for great power conflict. In the second white paper in his series on U.S. forces, CSIS’s Mark Cancian analyzes the Army’s plans and challenges for growth and modernization.
Buttressing Institutional Integrity in an Election Year: Federal Force Deployment during L.A. Riots (1992)
The last time a U.S. President invoked the Insurrection Act was in response to the 1992 L.A. Riots. This vignette highlights how federal forces were mobilized to address the unrest in L.A.
Buttressing Institutional Integrity in an Election Year: The Use of Federal Forces in Washington, D.C. (2020)
This past summer, federal forces were deployed to D.C. in response to protests addressing racial injustice. This vignette explains some of the unique features of the D.C. deployments, and highlights key considerations about the laws and norms that guide domestic federal force deployments.