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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Is Bigger Better? Concentration, Competition, and Defense Contracting Outcomes

Join the CSIS Defense Industrial Initiatives Group for the launch of their new report that examines the relationship between industrial concentration and competition with U.S. defense acquisition performance outcomes.

Event by Gregory Sanders , Andrew Philip Hunter , Frank Kendall , Barry Lynn , Marjorie Censer , and Pierre Chao — February 11, 2019

Evaluating Consolidation and the Threat of Monopolies within Industrial Sectors

As concerns over consolidation within defense industrial sectors are becoming more apparent, CSIS Defense-Industrial and Initiatives Group looks at the relationship between industrial consolidation, competition, and contracting performance outcomes.

Report by Gregory Sanders , Zach Huitink , and Andrew Philip Hunter — February 11, 2019

Beating the Air into Submission: Investing in Vertical Lift Modernization

The U.S. military’s fleet of helicopters and tiltrotors is aging. While there are ambitious plans to modernize the fleet, much of the investment path ahead remains unclear. This brief looks at past vertical lift investments to help inform future investment plans.

Brief by Andrew Philip Hunter , Robert Karlen , and Gabriel Coll — February 4, 2019

Surviving the Defense Industry: New Entrants and Small Business Graduation

Join us as we present the results and recommendations from a recent report that tracks businesses new to the federal contracting arena from 2001-2016, otherwise known as new entrants, using publicly available contracting data from the Federal Procurement Data System.

Event by Gregory Sanders , Andrew Philip Hunter , Emily Harman , Christian Brose , Tara Murphy Dougherty , and Brennan Grignon — February 1, 2019

The Business of Software Innovation

The speakers will discuss business models through which the U.S. government and industry can work together in developing software for national security capabilities.

Event by Andrew Philip Hunter , Jeff Boleng , Brett Lambert , and Beth McGrath — January 29, 2019

Press Briefing: The State of the U.S. Defense Industrial Base

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has hosted a press briefing ahead of the Global Strategy Forum and the Reagan National Defense Forum on the state of the Defense Industrial Base.

Event by Gregory Sanders and Andrew Philip Hunter — November 27, 2018

New Entrants and Small Business Graduation in the Market for Federal Contracts

This report analyzes vendors new to federal contracting from 2001-2016 by calculating the survival rates for small and non-small new entrants, and the graduation rates for those that started as small. The number of vendors new to federal contracting have declined since 2005.

Report by Gregory Sanders and Andrew Philip Hunter — November 20, 2018