Defense Budget and Acquisition

CSIS experts track the foremost budget issues in the defense policy sphere, exploring trends in the overall defense budget, military readiness, force structure, defense acquisition, and military compensation in a broader effort to assess the alignment of the country’s defense strategy and its resources.

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Jerry McGinn

Jerry McGinn

Director, Center for the Industrial Base and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
Alek Jovovic

Alek Jovovic

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

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Unpacking the $1.5 Trillion FY 2027 Defense Budget Topline

On April 3, the White House released details of its defense budget request for FY 2027. Seamus Daniels unpacks the $1.5 trillion topline requested for national defense and its implications for congressional action.

Critical Questions by Seamus P. Daniels — April 10, 2026

What is the "Right to Repair?" | All About the Base

All About the Base host and CIB Director Dr. Jerry McGinn talks with Dr. Alexis Lasselle Ross, President of Apex Defense Strategies, on the debates concerning the "Right to Repair" and the competing priorities of innovation, cost mitigation, and sustainment.

Event — March 23, 2026

What Can Trump’s Budget Buy the Navy? Exploring Options and Trade-Offs

If defense spending reaches historic highs, how should the Navy invest its new funding? This report explores competing priorities, from ships and munitions to readiness and deterrence, and the trade-offs shaping the future of U.S. seapower.

Report by Benjamin Jensen, Mackenzie Eaglen, and Henry H. Carroll — March 19, 2026

How to Lose a Navy in 10 Days

The naval strikes against Iran reveal how quickly modern fleets can be crippled. Today’s maritime campaigns aim not just to sink ships, but to blind sensors, disrupt command networks, and destroy ports—often within the opening days of war.

Commentary by Benjamin Jensen — March 12, 2026

Is the U.S. Running Out of Munitions? | All About the Base

All About the Base host and Center for the Industrial Base Director Jerry McGinn speaks with Tom Karako, Director of the Missile Defense Project, on the state of U.S. munitions stockpiles in light of the strikes against Iran and the need for magazine "breadth" and not simply depth.

Event — March 10, 2026

How Europe Can Build Ukraine’s Future Force

As U.S. military aid to Ukraine winds down, Europe must move beyond crisis response to lead Ukraine's long-term defense—establishing strategic coherence, hedging against U.S. disengagement, defining Ukraine's future force, and securing sustainable financing.

Commentary by Astrid Chevreuil, Otto Svendsen, and Max Bergmann — February 27, 2026

Small Business, Big Impact | All About the Base

All About the Base's Jerry McGinn hosts the Honorable Emily Murphy, former administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration, for a discussion on government programs and incentives to support small business innovation, including SBIR.

Event — February 17, 2026