Bad Idea: Disestablishing the Space Force
Despite criticism, the creation of the Space Force as an independent service was a timely, strategically-important decision. It would be a bad idea to roll it back into the Air Force.
Topic: Forces
Read the most recent CSIS research on U.S. military force structure.
U.S. Military Forces in FY 2021: Air Force
The Air Force continues to develop and procure next-generation aircraft to meet the demands of great power conflict. While fielding new aircraft has arrested the fleet’s increasing age, the Air Force is not buying enough new aircraft to sustain its force structure.
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.
U.S. Military Forces in FY 2021: Marine Corps
The Marine Corps begins a major restructuring to develop capabilities for great power conflict after two decades of conducting counterinsurgency ashore. However, many commentators worry that the restructuring will make the Marine Corps too narrowly focused.
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.
U.S. Military Forces in FY 2021: Navy
Unlike the other services, the Navy has sought to grow significantly. However, its previous plan to reach 355 ships collapsed. A new plan incorporates smaller ships and large numbers of unmanned systems.
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.
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.