Defense Strategy and Capabilities

U.S. defense policy builds from the study of long-term strategic competition, technological advancement and the changing character of war, and twenty-first-century challenges to liberal democracy and national security. By assessing these issues areas alongside aspects such as global military balance, asymmetric warfare, and regional conflicts, CSIS’s defense strategy portfolio offers unparalleled insight into security challenges facing the United States.

Photo: U.S. Air Force Photo/Senior Airman Sergio A. Gamboa

Photo: U.S. Air Force Photo/Senior Airman Sergio A. Gamboa

On the Horizon, Vol. 8

The 2025 PONI Nuclear Scholars explore the future of nuclear strategy, offering perspectives from emerging experts on disruptive technology, intensifying geopolitical rivalries, and strategic stability.

Report by Doreen Horschig — December 18, 2025

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Experts

Seth G. Jones

Seth G. Jones

President, Defense and Security Department; Harold Brown Chair
Tom Karako

Tom Karako

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

Jerry McGinn

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

Max Bergmann

Director, Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and Stuart Center
Benjamin Jensen

Benjamin Jensen

Director, Futures Lab and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
Brian Hart

Brian Hart

Deputy Director and Fellow, China Power Project

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The Arsenal of Freedom Tour

Please join the CSIS Defense and Security Department for a conversation on the Secretary of War’s Arsenal of Freedom tour.

Event — January 22, 2026

On the Horizon, Vol. 8

The 2025 PONI Nuclear Scholars explore the future of nuclear strategy, offering perspectives from emerging experts on disruptive technology, intensifying geopolitical rivalries, and strategic stability.

Report by Doreen Horschig — December 18, 2025

The United States Needs Its Marine Corps Now More Than Ever

Recent arguments for abolishing the Marine Corps on the grounds of redundancy and fiscal constraints overlook the service's unique role as a scalable, naval expeditionary force essential for power projection and sea control in the era of great power competition.

Commentary by Patrick Panjeti and David Batcheler — December 15, 2025

Navigating the Divide: Why the U.S. Navy Must Resume FONOPs in Indonesia

For nearly a decade, the U.S. has quietly acquiesced to Indonesia’s restrictive maritime claims to avoid diplomatic friction. This policy has failed. To prevent a catastrophic loss of access during a future crisis, the U.S. Navy must resume targeted Freedom of Navigation Operations.

Commentary by Patrick Panjeti — December 11, 2025

International Industrial Cooperation: Perspectives from Poland

CSIS will host Mr. Konrad Golota, Polish Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of State Assets, for a fireside chat on the Polish defense industry's rapid expansion and adaptation to regional threats and opportunities for industrial cooperation with transatlantic partners.

 

Event — December 5, 2025

The Depleting Missile Defense Interceptor Inventory

The proliferation of missile threats has made air and missile defense interceptors the table stakes for entry into future conflicts, forcing the Department of Defense to either ante up and buy the necessary interceptors, or fold on its regional interests and bear the consequences.

Brief by Wes Rumbaugh — December 5, 2025