Publications

This publication assesses how Chinese strategists perceive the Sino-Japanese naval balance, finding that Beijing anticipates an intensifying naval rivalry with Tokyo in the coming years. Indeed, the t...chevron_right

Thomas Mahnken writes that in recent years, the US national security community has begun to focus on the need to compete with China and Russia. But in what way should the US move to embrace the return of great power competition? In this report, Mahnken reviews the US’ current national tools to compete and, if necessary, wage war by looking back on decades of US-Soviet rivalry to see if this past experience can still shed light on conditions today.chevron_right

This publication reviews past, present, and planned arsenals for each of the world’s declared nuclear powers and highlights some notable asymmetries in the composition of those arsenals that could imp...chevron_right

This publication examines how strategic interaction has shaped national perceptions of nuclear balances and informed each state’s approach to the development of nuclear policy. More specifically, it 1...chevron_right

What contribution does the US maritime industry, and the policies that support it, make to the United States' national security? This publication responds, finding that 1) the US maritime industr...chevron_right

In light of the emerging new era of warfare being shaped by artificial intelligence development, this study examines the key drivers, opportunities, and challenges for ground forces in developing future human-machine teams. More specifically, the author provides...chevron_right

This paper assesses the arguments for and against the replacement of the US’ 1) nuclear Air-Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) with the Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) weapon; and 2) the Minuteman III ICBM force with the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD).chevron_right

President Trump described his proposed fiscal year (FY) 2018 national defense budget increase as ´historic’. However, this publication contends this is not the case. For instance, the text’s author explains that there have been more than ten increases that were...chevron_right

The US has a long history of engaging in irregular wars and countering insurgencies, one that even predates the nation’s existence. While many of these efforts were successful, explains this publication, others were not. In light of this, the text's author here assesses...chevron_right

In this testimony before the US Senate Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Seapower, Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at CSBA, looks at how the US Navy can reach its goal of a 355-ship Navy. To this end, Clark 1) provides a model for the fleet architecture and...chevron_right

We have reached the unsettled end of the post-Cold War era, argue this report’s authors. In practical terms, this means we’re seeing the erosion of Western power, renewed great power competition, the return of a worldwide ideological struggle, the intensification of...chevron_right

In this transcript, the CSBA’s Jesse Sloman 1) assesses the current capabilities of US amphibious forces, which are slipping when compared to Russia and China; and 2) lays out the improvements that are necessary if the US Navy and Marine Corps hope to deal with capable adversaries in the future.chevron_right

What are the dominant assumptions that have undergirded American grand strategy in the post-Cold War era? Are they now passé or do they merely need to be reinforced? According to Hal Brands et al, US leaders should address these questions by...chevron_right

According to this study, US military power is no longer capable of supporting the country’s commitments. A major reason why is that since 2011 Washington has steadily cut military spending, despite the ongoing challenges posed by...chevron_right

This study takes a broad look at the US’s defense strategy in the Middle East. It specifically analyzes 1) the history of Washington’s involvement in what remains a strategically important region; 2) the security threat posed by...chevron_right