Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments

Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments
Name	Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments
Type	Independent, nonpartisan think tank
Founded	1989
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Focus	Defense policy, force planning, budget analysis

Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments is an independent policy research organization based in Washington, D.C., that concentrates on strategic studies and defense resource allocation. Founded near the end of the Cold War, it engages with policy communities in the United States, NATO, and allied capitals through analysis, wargaming, and publications. It interacts with policymakers, military services, and academic institutions to inform debates on force structure, procurement, and fiscal strategy.

History

The organization emerged in 1989 amid debates tied to the Cold War, the Reagan administration, and the transition to the George H. W. Bush administration, engaging analysts who had previously worked at institutions such as the Rand Corporation, the Brookings Institution, and the Heritage Foundation. During the 1990s it contributed to discussions shaped by the Gulf War (1990–1991), the Yugoslav Wars, and post-Cold War force reductions that involved the Department of Defense (United States), the United States Congress, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. In the 2000s its work intersected with debates after the September 11 attacks about operations in Afghanistan, Iraq War, and the role of the United States Air Force and United States Navy in expeditionary campaigns. Through the 2010s and 2020s the organization addressed challenges associated with the People's Republic of China, Russian Federation, and evolving concepts such as anti-access/area denial and hybrid warfare, interacting with officials from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and allied ministries.

Mission and Activities

The center's stated mission frames analysis at the intersection of defense budget, force planning, and strategic competition, producing studies that inform the Congressional Budget Office, the Government Accountability Office, and legislative staff in the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. It conducts workshops and wargames with participants from the United States Marine Corps, the United States Army, the Royal Navy, and the French Ministry of Armed Forces, collaborating with academic partners such as Harvard Kennedy School, Princeton University, and the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Activities include congressional testimony before committees like the Senate Armed Services Committee, briefings for the NATO Defence Planning Committee, and participation in multilaterals such as the Munich Security Conference and the Shangri-La Dialogue.

Research Areas and Publications

Research spans force posture, acquisition strategy, and fiscal modeling with publications addressing platforms like the F-35 Lightning II, Virginia-class submarine, Zumwalt-class destroyer, and systems such as ballistic missile defense and cybersecurity. Reports and monographs reference historical cases including the Korean War, Vietnam War, and the Gulf War (1990–1991) to illuminate concepts tied to power projection, deterrence theory, and procurement reform advocated by authors who have previously served at the Office of Net Assessment and the Cato Institute. The center issues policy briefs, edited volumes, and wargame after-action reports that appear alongside scholarship from Center for a New American Security, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the Atlantic Council.

Policy Influence and Impact

Analyses have influenced debates over major programs such as the Columbia-class submarine, the Next Generation Air Dominance effort, and the Ballistic Missile Defense System, shaping testimony before the House Armed Services Committee and budget deliberations involving the Office of Management and Budget and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The organization’s wargames and scenario planning have been cited in discussions with senior leaders from the Pentagon, commanders in U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and ministers from allies in the Five Eyes partnership, affecting procurement timelines and operational concepts promulgated in documents like the National Defense Strategy (2018) and allied strategic reviews.

Organization and Funding

The center is led by senior fellows and an executive team drawn from backgrounds including the United States Intelligence Community, the Department of Defense (United States), and academia, with advisory boards featuring former officials from the State Department, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the United States European Command. Funding sources encompass defense contractors, philanthropic foundations, and private donors, with collaborations and grants from entities such as the Smith Richardson Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and sponsorships tied to industrial partners in the defense industry; it maintains grant disclosures to comply with transparency expectations from the Internal Revenue Service and nonprofit oversight groups.

Criticism and Controversies

Critics have questioned the center’s funding relationships with major defense firms and argued that sponsorship could create perceived conflicts involving procurements like the F-35 Lightning II and Zumwalt-class destroyer, prompting scrutiny from watchdogs such as Project on Government Oversight and commentary in outlets like The Washington Post and The New York Times. Debates have also arisen over analytical premises in wargames and modeling methods related to force-sizing for contingencies involving China and Russia, with academic critics from institutions including Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology publishing alternative assessments. Some lawmakers and commentators have called for stricter disclosure standards similar to proposals from the Sunlight Foundation and reforms proposed in hearings before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Category:Think tanks based in the United States Category:Defense policy think tanks