Federated Defense Project

The CSIS Federated Defense Project aims to develop actionable recommendations for integrating U.S., allied, and partner capabilities into regional defense architectures that advance common interests

The United States has long acknowledged the importance of its allies and partners in securing shared interests.  More recently, drawdowns in defense spending by the United States and many of its security partners have increased the urgency of leveraging and synthesizing national capabilities where possible.  CSIS has launched the Federated Defense Project to assess and recommend concrete ways for the United States and its partners to integrate their defense capabilities in support of shared interests.  The Project draws on the full breadth of CSIS’s unparalleled security expertise, including: U.S. and regional defense concepts, capabilities, posture, and relationships; regional security dynamics; U.S. and global trade and economic policy; and the global defense industry.  The multi-year effort will examine U.S. and common security goals and the global and regional security architectures and defense capabilities that best support them.  The Project will also assess the U.S. foreign military sales system, exportability considerations in the defense acquisition process, export control issues, and other authorities considerations.

In 2014, the project will establish the foundations for federated defense, with a comprehensive assessment of the globalizing defense value chain and a review of U.S. policies on defense industrial cooperation.  The CSIS study team will also develop its initial recommendations on a federated defense approach for Asia.  Later in the year, CSIS will launch an in-depth assessment of the federated defense approaches best suited to the dynamics of the Greater Middle East.

In 2015, the Federated Defense Project will continue its review and recommendations on defense industrial cooperation and expand its regional assessments from Asia and the Middle East to other parts of the world.

The Federated Defense Project is conducted under the leadership of Dr. Kathleen H. Hicks, CSIS Senior Vice President, Henry A. Kissinger Chair, and Director of the International Security Program.