Missile Defense

As hypersonic missiles, cruise missiles, and unmanned aircraft systems become increasingly common on the battlefield, focusing on the full spectrum of missile threats is crucial, especially as the missile threat from China and Russia grows. CSIS research seeks innovative means to counter the full spectrum of global missile threats.

Photo: Russian State Media

Screenshot from Vladimir Putin's 2018 presentation unveiling the Burevestnik, illustrating its ability to evade maritime missile defenses.

Photo: Russian State Media

Russia’s Nuclear-Powered Burevestnik Missile: Implications for Missile Defense

Nuclear-powered cruise missiles are not a new idea—they’re just a bad idea. While Russia’s Burevestnik missile is grabbing headlines, it does not fundamentally change Russia’s ability to hold the U.S. homeland at risk or the strategic balance between the two states. 

Critical Questions by Patrycja Bazylczyk and Hannah Freeman — November 4, 2025

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Tom Karako

Tom Karako

Director, Missile Defense Project and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department

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The Golden Dome and the New Missile Age

Tom Karako, director of the CSIS Missile Defense Project and senior fellow in the CSIS Defense and Security Department, joins The Truth of the Matter to discuss the development of the Golden Dome and how missile defense has evolved over the last decade.

Transcript — May 16, 2025

Operational Fires in the Age of Punishment

Russia’s decoupling of firepower from maneuver in Ukraine signals a dangerous shift toward punitive, algorithmic warfare—forcing NATO to rethink doctrine, deterrence, and the role of human-machine integration in future conflicts.

Report by Benjamin Jensen and Jose M. Macias III — May 6, 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

Calculating the Cost-Effectiveness of Russia’s Drone Strikes

As Ukraine devises ingenious ways to defend its population from Russia’s precision aerial bombardment, Russia’s Shahed one-way attack drones continue to operate with a cruel logic of attrition.

Commentary by Neil Hollenbeck, Muhammed Hamza Altaf, Faith Avila, Javier Ramirez, Anurag Sharma, and Benjamin Jensen — February 19, 2025

What is the "Iron Dome for America"?

CSIS Defense and Security Department Senior Fellows Tom Karako, Heather Williams, and Kari Bingen discuss the implications of the "Iron Dome for America" executive order for the strategic force. 

Event — February 11, 2025