Clayton Swope

Deputy Director, Aerospace Security Project and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
Clayton Swope

Clayton Swope is the deputy director of the Aerospace Security Project and a senior fellow in the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Before joining CSIS, Swope led national security and cybersecurity public policy for Amazon’s Project Kuiper, an initiative to increase global broadband access through a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit. While at Amazon, he also worked on cloud policy issues. Prior to his time at Amazon, Swope served as a senior adviser on national security, space, foreign affairs, and technology policy issues for a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He also worked for more than 14 years at the Central Intelligence Agency, serving largely in the Directorate of Science and Technology. He holds a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Notre Dame.

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Would Air Strikes Against Iran Work?

History shows that air strikes alone struggle to achieve complex policy goals, but used in Iran now, they could trigger a domino effect that leads to the collapse of Iran's repressive authoritarian regime.

Critical Questions by Clayton Swope — January 13, 2026

How Important Is Blue Origin’s Second New Glenn Launch?

With the second launch of New Glenn, Blue Origin becomes only the second space operator in the world to conduct a vertical landing of an orbital-class booster. The Pentagon, NASA, and commercial customers are now counting on Blue Origin to deliver New Glenn at scale.

Critical Questions by Clayton Swope — November 14, 2025

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How Important Is Blue Origin’s Second New Glenn Launch?

An audio version of “⁠How Important Is Blue Origin’s Second New Glenn Launch?,⁠” a new Critical Questions by CSIS’s Clayton Swope. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Clayton Swope — November 14, 2025

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If the Pentagon Wants More Speed and Scale, It Should Be a Better Customer

As the Department of War modernizes its acquisition process to optimize speed and scale, it should also think about how the Pentagon can be a better customer. Industry has to have trust that the military will stick to its budget plans.

Commentary by Clayton Swope and Kari A. Bingen — November 10, 2025

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If the Pentagon Wants More Speed and Scale, It Should Be a Better Customer

An audio version of "⁠If the Pentagon Wants More Speed and Scale, It Should Be a Better Customer⁠," a new Commentary by CSIS's Clayton Swope and Kari Bingen. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Clayton Swope and Kari A. Bingen — November 10, 2025

Audio Briefs