Defense Acquisition Trends 2019: Topline DoD Trends
Defense Outlook Series
For over a decade, the Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group (DIIG) at CSIS has published an annual report examining trends in what the Department of Defense (DoD) is buying, how DoD is buying it, and from whom DoD is buying. Last year, DIIG found that the defense acquisition system sat at an inflection point after rebounding from the defense drawdown but was still facing “unanswered questions about continued defense budget growth and the long-term effects of the last few years’ acquisition reform efforts.” This year, CSIS will be analyzing the acquisition system through a series of topics papers as part of a revamped process that allows for earlier and more pertinent sharing of data and findings. This paper, the first in our 2019 report series, presents analysis of the topline DoD contracting trends, focusing on the defense acquisition system’s response to the 2018 National Defense Strategy and new administration priorities.
CSIS Briefs are produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a private, tax-exempt institution focusing on international public policy issues. Its research is nonpartisan and nonproprietary. CSIS does not take specific policy positions. Accordingly, all views, positions, and conclusions expressed in this publication should be understood to be solely those of the author(s). © 2019 by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. All rights reserved.
(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Thomas Barley)