The Army prioritized retaining combat units, such as brigade combat teams (BCT) and combat aviation brigades, when planning to reduce its end strength to 980,000 soldiers, and as a result …
GAO – Defense Infrastructure: DOD Has Made Limited Progress in Assessing Foreign Encroachment Risks on Federally Managed Land
The Department of Defense (DOD) has made limited progress in addressing foreign encroachment–foreign investment in industries located in proximity to military training and testing ranges–on federally managed land since GAO …
GAO – Cloud Computing: Agencies Need to Incorporate Key Practices to Ensure Effective Performance
None of the DoD cloud service contracts reviewed in the study incorporate all key practices.
GAO – KC-46 Tanker Aircraft: Challenging Testing and Delivery Schedules Lie Ahead
KC-46 tanker aircraft acquisition cost estimates have decreased for a third consecutive year and the prime contractor, Boeing, is expected to achieve all the performance goals, such as those for …
A Troubling Past: Air Force Fighter Acquisition since 1945
Airpower Journal – Winter 1990
Do Joint Fighter Programs Save Money?
Rand Project Air Force
Much Maligned JLENS Could Be Central To An Advanced U.S. Air And Missile Defense Network
Admittedly, what went wrong with the Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System (JLENS) last October was, in one sense, pretty spectacular.
GAO – Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs
Over the past year, the number of programs in the Department of Defense’s (DOD) portfolio of major defense acquisitions increased from 78 to 79, while DOD’s total planned investment in …
2017 Defense Posture Statement
Taking the Long View, Investing for the Future
Senator John McCain presents America’s Most Wasted
10 years for the Army to buy a simple handgun.
GAO – Unmanned Carrier-Based Aircraft System: Debate over System’s Role Led to Focus on Aerial Refueling
In 2015, the Department of Defense (DOD) conducted a review of its airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance portfolio and debated the primary role of the Navy Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance …
GAO – F-35 Joint Strike Fighter: Preliminary Observations on Program Progress
GAO’s ongoing work on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (F-35) program shows that the Department of Defense (DOD) has begun planning and funding significant new development work to add to …
CBO – An Analysis of the Navy’s Fiscal Year 2016 Shipbuilding Plan
CBO estimates that the cost of the Navy’s 2016 shipbuilding plan—an average of about $20 billion per year (adjusted for inflation) over 30 years—would be $4 billion higher than the …
Souda Bay: NATO’s Military Gem in the Eastern Mediterranean
The Eastern Mediterranean is at the center of a titanic geo-political and strategic struggle as refugees flood to Europe from the Near East and North Africa.
CRS – Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress, March 15, 2016
CVN-78, CVN-79, CVN-80, and CVN-81 are the first four ships in the Navy’s new Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers (CVNs).
GAO – Space Acquisitions: Challenges Facing DOD as it Changes Approaches to Space Acquisitions
Most major space programs have experienced significant cost and schedule increases.
GAO – Unmanned Aerial Systems: Further Actions Needed to Fully Address Air Force and Army Pilot Workforce Challenges
In April 2014, GAO reported on several issues the Air Force faced in managing its UAS pilots, and while the Air Force has taken some actions since then, it has …
GAO – Navy and Coast Guard Shipbuilding: Navy Should Reconsider Approach to Warranties for Correcting Construction Defects
For five of the six Navy and Coast Guard ships GAO reviewed, guarantees did not help improve cost or quality outcomes.
CRS – The Army’s Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV): Background and Issues for Congress
The Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) is the Army’s proposed replacement for the Vietnam-era M-113 personnel carriers, which are still in service in a variety of support capacities in Armored Brigade …
CRS – Marine Corps Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) and Marine Personnel Carrier (MPC): Background and Issues for Congress
On January 6, 2011, after spending approximately $3 billion in developmental funding, the Marine Corps cancelled the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) program due to poor reliability demonstrated during operational testing …
CRS – Navy Lasers, Railgun, and Hypervelocity Projectile: Background and Issues for Congress
The Navy is currently developing three potential new weapons that could improve the ability of its surface ships to defend themselves against enemy missiles—solid state lasers (SSLs), the electromagnetic railgun …
CRS – The Army’s M-1 Abrams, M-2/M-3 Bradley, and M-1126 Stryker: Background and Issues for Congress
The M-1 Abrams Tank, the M-2/M-3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV), and the M-1126 Stryker Combat Vehicle are the centerpieces of the Army’s Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCTs) and Stryker Brigade …
CRS – Long Range Strike Bomber Begins to Emerge
In anticipation of a contract award “in the next couple of months,” and in response to press speculation about its capabilities, Air Force officials have begun revealing information about the …
GAO – Military Base Realignments and Closures: More Guidance and Information Needed to Take Advantage of Opportunities to Consolidate Training
For each of the six recommendations GAO reviewed from the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round, the Department of Defense (DOD) implemented the recommendations by requiring military services to …
CBO – Long-Term Implications of the 2016 Future Years Defense Program
The Department of Defense’s five-year plan calls for budgets averaging $534 billion (in 2016 dollars) from 2016 through 2020, but they would average $565 billion per year from 2021 through …
GAO – MISSILE DEFENSE: Assessment of DOD’s Reports on Status of Efforts and Options for Improving Homeland Missile Defense
The Department of Defense’s (DOD) August 2015 and September 2015 homeland missile defense reports generally met most of the required reporting elements from section 238 of the National Defense Authorization …
Red Alert: The Growing Threat to U.S. Aircraft Carriers
As China deploys surface-to-air missile (SAM) launchers to the Woody Islands in the South China Sea, CNAS Defense Strategies and Assessments Program Associate Fellow Kelley Sayler has written a new …
GAO – DEFENSE LOGISTICS: Enhanced Policy and Procedures Needed to Improve Management of Sensitive Conventional Ammunition
The military services maintained accountability (i.e., accurate records) of Security Risk Category (SRC) I conventional ammunition at 11 sampled locations within the continental United States; however, GAO identified gaps in …
GAO – Counterfeit Parts: DOD Needs to Improve Reporting and Oversight to Reduce Supply Chain Risk
Department of Defense (DOD) agencies and contractors submitted 526 suspect counterfeit parts reports in the Government-Industry Data Exchange Program (GIDEP) from fiscal years 2011 through 2015.
DoD: Performance of Defense Acquisition System 2015
This third annual report on the Performance of the Defense Acquisition System continues the effort to provide data and analysis so the Department of Defense (DoD) can see how it …
DoD: Asia-Pacific Maritime Security Strategy
Achieving U.S. National Security Objectives in a Changing Environment.
CRS – Navy Shipboard Lasers for Surface, Air, and Missile Defense: Background and Issues for Congress
Department of Defense (DOD) development work on high-energy military lasers, which has been underway for decades, has reached the point where lasers capable of countering certain surface and air targets …
CRS – History of the Navy UCLASS Program Requirements: In Brief
During its development, the U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) aircraft and its predecessors have been proposed to fill a number of roles and operate in …
CRS – Navy Ship Names: Background for Congress
Names for Navy ships traditionally have been chosen and announced by the Secretary of the Navy, under the direction of the President and in accordance with rules prescribed by Congress.
CRS – Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress
The Navy’s proposed FY2016 budget requests funding for the procurement of nine new battle force ships (i.e., ships that count against the Navy’s goal for achieving and maintaining a fleet …
CRS – Navy LX(R) Amphibious Ship Program: Background and Issues for Congress
The LX(R) program is a program to build a new class of 11 amphibious ships for the Navy.
CRS – Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress
The Navy has been procuring Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) class Aegis destroyers since FY1985. The two DDG-51 class ships requested for procurement in FY2016 are to be the 73rd and 74th …
CRS – Navy Ohio Replacement (SSBN[X]) Ballistic Missile Submarine Program: Background and Issues for Congress
The Navy’s proposed FY2016 budget requests $1,390.7 million for continued research and development work on the Ohio replacement program (ORP), a program to design and build a new class of …
CRS – Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress
The Navy has been procuring Virginia (SSN-774) class nuclear-powered attack submarines since FY1998.
CRS – Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)/Frigate Program: Background and Issues for Congress
The Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)/Frigate program is a program to procure 52 LCSs and frigates.