Jerry McGinn

Director, Center for the Industrial Base and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
Jerry McGinn

Dr. Jerry McGinn is the director of the Center for the Industrial Base and a senior fellow with the Defense and Security Department. He is one of the nation’s leading experts on industrial base, acquisition, government contracting, and security policy issues. Prior to joining CSIS, Jerry served as executive director of the Greg and Camille Baroni Center for Government Contracting at George Mason University, publishing over 70 influential reports, white papers, and commentaries. Prior to GMU, Jerry served as the senior career official in the Office of Manufacturing and Industrial Base Policy in the Department of Defense (DoD), leading efforts to analyze the capabilities of the defense industrial base. He also directed hundreds of reviews of high-profile mergers and acquisitions as well as transactions before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. Before his service in DoD, Dr. McGinn spent a decade in senior defense industry roles at Northrop Grumman, Deloitte Consulting LLP, and QinetiQ North America. Prior to industry, Dr. McGinn served as special assistant to the principal deputy undersecretary for policy in DoD and as a political scientist at RAND. Dr. McGinn is also a widely acclaimed thought leader and has testified numerous times before the U.S. Congress and the UK House of Commons. Dr. McGinn served with distinction as an infantry officer and is a graduate of Ranger and Airborne Schools. He earned a PhD, MS, and MA from Georgetown University as well as a BS from the United States Military Academy.

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What the CMMC Pause Means for the Defense Industrial Base

The Pentagon has paused its contractor cybersecurity certification program amid concerns from small businesses. What does the decision mean, and how can the department strengthen supply chain cybersecurity without imposing unsustainable burdens on smaller contractors?

Critical Questions by Jerry McGinn and Oliver Buntin — July 29, 2026

The Value of U.S. Land Power

This working paper examines the utility and relevance of U.S. land forces in the contemporary global security environment and discusses the inherent advantages and limits of land forces as part of the joint force.

Report by Jerry McGinn, Jason Paul "JP" Gresh, and Alek Jovovic — July 14, 2026

Aligning the U.S. and Canadian Defense Industrial Bases

On this episode of All About the Base, Dr. Jerry McGinn unpacks U.S.-Canadian industrial integration with Ms. Joanne Lostracco, Minister at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C. and Director General of Defence Procurement with Public Services & Procurement Canada.

Event — July 13, 2026

Is the Industrial Base on a Wartime Footing? A Progress Report

Is the U.S. defense industrial base on a wartime footing? This analysis measures the Pentagon’s progress toward this goal across key categories, including defense spending, new entrants, munitions, rare earths, and foreign military sales, and identifies where gaps remain.

Report by Jerry McGinn and A.J. Dilts — July 6, 2026

Press Briefing: Previewing the NATO Summit

The Center for Strategic and International Studies will host a virtual press briefing to preview the upcoming NATO Summit, set to be held in Ankara, Turkey.

Event — July 1, 2026

Is the Industrial Base on a Wartime Footing? A Progress Report

On this episode of All About the Base, Dr. Jerry McGinn assesses where progress toward placing the industrial base on a wartime footing is being made across priority areas like munitions, supply chains, and allied cooperation, and identifies where greater focus is needed.

Event — June 29, 2026

Innovation to Deployment: Fixing the Pentagon’s Acquisition Gap

On this episode of All About the Base, Dr. Jerry McGinn joins the Cache Me If You Can podcast with host Lauryn Williams to discuss the progress and implications of the Pentagon's efforts to reform defense acquisition and field emerging technologies at speed and scale.

Event — June 15, 2026