Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group

Strengthening our understanding of the relationship between the Department of Defense and its industrial base

DIIG provides timely, in-depth analysis on the critical issues at the cross-section of the Department of Defense and its industrial base. With a focus on defense acquisition trends, technological innovation, security cooperation, and ongoing reform efforts, DIIG monitors important developments in the global defense industry. DIIG’s products consist of major research projects, published reports, commentaries, interviews, and events.

About the Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group

Learn more about the CSIS Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group and the experts and staff that contribute to our analysis.

Cynthia Cook

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Latest Analysis

Photo: U.S. Army

Photo: U.S. Army

Rising Demand and Proliferating Supply of Military UAS

There has been a significant rise in the proliferation of military uninhabited aerial systems. This report reveals drivers and implications by examining the Nagorno-Karabakh war, the Russian war in Ukraine, and contracting and international trade data.

Report by Gregory Sanders , Rose Butchart , Astrid Price , Dan Steinberg , and Alexander Holderness — May 24, 2023

See all analysis by Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group

Featured Event

Photo: Spc. Charles Leitner/U.S. Army

Pressing Challenges to U.S. Army Acquisition

March 3, 2023

Discussion between the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology the Honorable Douglas Bush and Dr. Cynthia Cook with the Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group (DIIG).  The discussion explored challenges to the defense industrial base in the U.S.

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Rising Demand and Proliferating Supply of Military UAS

There has been a significant rise in the proliferation of military uninhabited aerial systems. This report reveals drivers and implications by examining the Nagorno-Karabakh war, the Russian war in Ukraine, and contracting and international trade data.

Report by Gregory Sanders , Rose Butchart , Astrid Price , Dan Steinberg , and Alexander Holderness — May 24, 2023

Managing Risk and Technology Insertion in Crewed Tactical Jet Engines

As China makes seismic investments in its military jet engine industry, Washington will have to develop strategies to ensure the United States' enduring advantage and to continue to deliver world-leading air combat capability.

Brief by Alexander Holderness , Gregory Sanders , and Nicholas Velazquez — April 18, 2023

Powering Proliferation: The Global Engine Market and China’s Indigenization

The military turbofan engine market proliferates technology nations like China need to build modern jet engines to compete with the United States. This brief explores China’s push to modernize its capabilities and broader dynamics in the global military engine market.

Brief by Alexander Holderness , Nicholas Velazquez , Jasmine Phillips , Gregory Sanders , and Cynthia Cook — March 21, 2023

Constricting the Means of Production: Ally-Centric Cooperative Economic Deterrence

As China becomes increasingly confrontational on the world stage, the United States needs new economic tools to deter China. CSIS experts analyze a deterrence strategy that relies on working with partners and allies to target key nodes in China’s supply chain.

Commentary by Alexander Holderness and Cynthia Cook — February 14, 2023

Bolstering Collective Resilience in Europe

Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine puts the necessity for European resilience into sharper focus. This brief argues for a new framing of NATO’s approach to resilience to amplify allies’ combined capacity to tackle shared challenges and threats.

Brief by Anna Dowd and Cynthia Cook — December 9, 2022

Executive Summary: 2021 CSIS-DAPA Conference

The 2021 CSIS-DAPA conference explored how the United States and the Republic of Korea could strengthen their alliance via a third generation of cooperation. Key topics were information sharing, domestic industry promotion, new technology, and the larger strategic context.

Report by Gregory Sanders — December 5, 2022

Inflating the Risk? Contracting in the Face of Inflation

What will heightened inflation mean for the defense-industrial base? CSIS experts analyze how the Department of Defense responded to the last major bout of inflation and the relative exposure of different categories of vendors with respect to firm-fixed price contracts.

Critical Questions by Gregory Sanders and Alexander Holderness — December 1, 2022

Keeping the U.S. Military Engine Edge: Budget and Contract Trends

The United States leads the world in military aircraft engine development. However, the Department of Defense must make significant decisions moving forward to retain this advantage in an era of renewed competition.

Brief by Gregory Sanders and Nicholas Velazquez — October 31, 2022

Pathways to Implementing Comprehensive and Collaborative JADC2

This CSIS brief identifies and examines strategic level challenges in pursuing enhanced command and control infrastructure and makes recommendations to help the U.S. military as it operates as a joint force and deploys with allies and partners.

Report by Cynthia Cook , Rose Butchart , Gregory Sanders , and Alexander Holderness — September 27, 2022