October 18, 2016
A Ready, Modern Force: Ready for Today, Prepared for Tomorrow
Experts from the CNAS Defense Strategies and Assessments Program participated in a panel discussion on defense spending. Senior Fellows Jerry Hendrix, Paul Scharre, and Elbridge Colby focused on maintaining readiness for today’s threats while modernizing the force for future challenges. The experts assumed a two percent increase in defense spending above PB17 levels – a realistic level given political dynamics. By investing in a diverse high-low mix of forces for the range of DoD missions, rather than attempting to field a one-size-fits-all “utility infielder” force, Hendrix, Scharre, and Colby modernized the force while maintaining capacity.
More from CNAS
-
Sea Drones a Taiwan Game Changer
Commentary
This article was originally published in the Taipei Times. China prefers to win without firing a shot in its bid to strangle Taiwan’s strategic autonomy. Chinese military str...
By Trey Meeks
-
We Go High, We Go Low
Podcast
Missiles and drones (slow missiles) put the bang in airpower. But given how many we used in Iran, what would U.S. magazines have to look like to, say, defend Taiwan from the C...
By Stacie Pettyjohn & Philip Sheers
-
Behind the Front Line
Reports
This report considers the near-term opportunities that exist for integrating agentic artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities across the Department of War. While integration ...
By Josh Wallin & Carlton Haelig
-
Sharper | Securing America’s Defense Industrial Base
Commentary
Six months of war with Iran has depleted America’s munitions capacity, leaving stockpiles of interceptors and precision weapons dangerously low and demand above the replacemen...
By Cadence Barker & Charles Horn
