Read the most recent analysis from CSIS experts on defense-related issues.
At current, the U.S. Army is at risk of losing its tactical advantage if its modernization strategy does not change. This report identifies the challenge for Army modernization and provides recommendations for the Army to maximize the effectiveness of its modernization budget.
On Tuesday, the Trump administration plans to release its first budget request to Congress, which will include a detailed budget proposal for defense. This will be the first chance to see the specific priorities of the new administration and gauge whether campaign rhetoric about growing the military will become administration policy.
While the implementation of budget cuts from the Budget Control Act of 2011 has caused concerns for the industrial base, the resulting debate lacks empirical analysis. This research measures the impact of the defense drawdown across all the tiers of the industrial base. The technical approach analyzes prime and subprime DoD contract data to measure the drawdown’s impacts by sector to better understand how contractors have responded to this external market shock.
This report examines how such incentives are used in PBL contracting and looks further towards how incentives can best be utilized in a PBL contracting environment. This report is structured in three parts: a review of the available literature on the use of incentives in PBL contracting, a data analysis of where and how PBL contracts are used in the DoD, and a summary of initial findings from the experts CSIS has interviewed on the subject.
This study examines the literature on how contracts are fulfilled for both civilian and defense crisis funds, primarily focusing on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), disaster funds, and Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funds. Utilizing publicly available data, the study provides a methodology for classifying the contracts and analyzes the data based on noncompetitive awards, undefinitized contract actions, and reachback contracts.
This report is the second in an annual series examining trends in what the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is buying, how DoD is buying it, and from whom DoD is buying.
As the President-elect has indicated since winning the election, defense reform is likely to remain a high priority in the new administration. Decisions that the new administration make over the coming years will shape the future military. This analysis provides recommendations that should be considered for reforming the defense budget.
Given the various foreign policy and national security challenges, it will be critical that the new administration develop a strategic approach for their policy objectives. Strategy will help the new administration achieve goals, drive change, and determine which issues may benefit from continuity. This analysis provides recommended steps for an effective review process to help develop a strategy for national security challenges.
With the expansion of presidential war powers and an incoming administration, Congress is in an ideal position to reconsider the appropriate relationship with the executive branch on the use of force. This report provides a recommendation Congress should consider to re-establishing Congress’ role in authorizing military operations.
Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding poses challenges for the new administration as they prepare its FY 2018 budget request. OCO funding is intended for war-related activities that cannot be forecasted. However, it has become a convenient loophole for defense spending since it is not restricted by the Budget Control Act (BCA) budget caps. This analysis address the challenges presented by OCO funding and possible options for handling base budget activities in OCO.