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.

Photo: SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images

Photo: SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images

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

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Jerry McGinn

Jerry McGinn

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

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Conflict in Focus: Lessons from Russia-Ukraine

The Russia-Ukraine War has redefined modern conflict, from drones and cyberattacks to contested space. Conflict in Focus, a CSIS series, unpacks key lessons across all domains of war—insights vital for anticipating and preparing for future large-scale conflicts.

Report by Matthew Slusher, Krista Auchenbach, Scott Murphy, Quinton Packard, Scott Pence, and Luke Slivinski — May 2, 2025

Trump Restructures the Pentagon Budget: Two Views

Who should win and lose under Secretary Hegseth’s direction to reallocate 8 percent of DOD’s budget? CSIS experts Mark Cancian and Melissa Dalton took very different approaches in a recent exercise: a global focus (Cancian) versus the implications of the administration's strategy (Dalton).

Report by Mark F. Cancian and Melissa Dalton — April 16, 2025

Securing the Digital and Orbital Frontiers in Ukraine

As cyberattacks shadow Ukraine’s ceasefire, resilience becomes the front line. From railways to satellites, Ukraine’s digital and orbital defenses must hold firm against coercion to secure peace and deny Russia leverage in new domains of conflict.

Commentary by Benjamin Jensen and Erica Lonergan — April 3, 2025

How to Secure the Black Sea During a Russia-Ukrainian Ceasefire

Securing a fragile Black Sea ceasefire demands more than diplomacy. NATO must field a multidomain fleet-in-being—one that deters Russia, respects Montreux limits, and projects power without draining overstretched naval forces elsewhere.

Commentary by Benjamin Jensen and Mark Montgomery — March 31, 2025

What a Government Shutdown Would Mean for Defense Funding in FY 2025

The continuing resolution that the federal government and Department of Defense currently operate under for FY 2025 will expire on Friday, March 14. Unless Congress passes another CR or full-year appropriations, DOD will face a government shutdown.

Critical Questions by Seamus P. Daniels — March 13, 2025