Defense Industrial Base

The CSIS Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group studies the critical issues at the cross-section of the Department of Defense and its industrial base, focusing on defense acquisition trends, technological innovation, security cooperation, and ongoing reform efforts.

Photo: U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Micah Taylor via DVIDS

Photo: U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Micah Taylor via DVIDS

Enabling Forward Sustainment

To reduce the risks relating to contested logistics in the Indo-Pacific, the U.S. Air Force should consider deepening maintenance and repair cooperation with Japan—leveraging its industrial strength to build a more resilient, forward-positioned sustainment capability.

Report by Cynthia R. Cook, Nicholas Szechenyi, Henry H. Carroll, Audrey Aldisert, Sarah Hendrick, and Javier Nater — June 26, 2025

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Cynthia Cook

Cynthia R. Cook

Director, Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
Seth G. Jones

Seth G. Jones

President, Defense and Security Department; Harold Brown Chair

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The Truth of the Matter

NATO’s “Brain-Dead” Summit

CSIS’s Max Bergmann, director of the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program, joins the podcast to discuss what really happened at the NATO summit and how defense spending will impact European economies going forward.

Podcast Episode by H. Andrew Schwartz and Max Bergmann — June 30, 2025

CSIS the truth of the matter

Enabling Forward Sustainment

To reduce the risks relating to contested logistics in the Indo-Pacific, the U.S. Air Force should consider deepening maintenance and repair cooperation with Japan—leveraging its industrial strength to build a more resilient, forward-positioned sustainment capability.

Report by Cynthia R. Cook, Nicholas Szechenyi, Henry H. Carroll, Audrey Aldisert, Sarah Hendrick, and Javier Nater — June 26, 2025

The Emerging Role of UUVs: AUKUS as a Platform for Development

While Pillar I focuses on arming Australia with nuclear-powered and conventionally armed submarines, Pillar II coordinates cooperation on emerging and advanced technologies—key to maintaining military technological edge. One emerging platform which stands to benefit from this cooperation are unmanned undersea vehicles (UUVs). Accelerating UUV development in the AUKUS partners’ fleets is critical for creating asymmetric capabilities and bolstering deterrence in the Indo-Pacific. 

Blog Post by Ryan Beane — June 25, 2025

Identifying Pathways for U.S. Shipbuilding Cooperation with Northeast Asian Allies

U.S. naval shipbuilding faces production and capacity constraints that undermine fleet readiness. Closer cooperation with allies like Japan and South Korea on ship construction and repair could help counter China’s maritime threat and bolster U.S. industrial resilience.

Brief by Henry H. Carroll and Cynthia R. Cook — May 15, 2025

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

The Consequences of China’s New Rare Earths Export Restrictions

China has imposed export restrictions on seven rare earth elements and magnets in retaliation for new U.S. tariffs. These materials are vital to defense technologies, but the United States is entirely dependent on China for their supply.

Critical Questions by Gracelin Baskaran and Meredith Schwartz — April 14, 2025

Unpacking Trump’s New Critical Minerals Executive Order

President Trump signed an EO to accelerate domestic minerals production for national security. The EO sets swift timelines to expedite permitting, deploy Defense Production Act funds through the Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and identify priority projects.

Critical Questions by Gracelin Baskaran and Meredith Schwartz — March 21, 2025