New CNAS Report: "Precision and Posture: Defense Spending Trends and the FY23 Budget Request"

Washington, November 17, 2022—Today, the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) released a new report, "Precision and Posture: Defense Spending Trends and the FY23 Budget Request," from authors Stacie Pettyjohn, senior fellow and director of the Defense Program; and Hannah Dennis, research assistant in the Defense Program.

The report analyzes budget trends and the FY23 request for key precision-guided munitions and overseas posture. The authors examine the sufficiency of existing critical conventional munitions stockpiles and the future procurement plans to meet the threats posed by China and Russia.

"While the services have shifted to investing in longer-range weapons, they are still underinvesting in the specific capabilities, in particular anti-ship and area-effects weapons, that would be needed to counter China in a variety of scenarios," write the authors. "Moreover, the Department of Defense (DoD) is not buying enough of these weapons to blunt and defeat an initial invasion, and it certainly is not stockpiling enough precision-guided munitions (PGMs) for a protracted war."

With respect to posture, the authors note that since FY12, the DoD has invested more in European posture than in bases in the Indo-Pacific. Most of the posture improvements in the Pacific have been completing legacy posture shifts in South Korea, Japan, and Guam. The authors assert that in Asia, the DoD needs to make investments in a distributed network of hardened facilities to strengthen deterrence.

The authors conclude that while the FY23 request makes some strides on both issues, more must be done today to improve the United States’ chances of deterring and, if necessary, defeating the adversary tomorrow.

For more information or to schedule an interview with the report authors, please contact Cameron Edinburgh at cedinburgh@cnas.org