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2 weeks ago | 
aei.org | John Ferrari |Todd Harrison
The new Pentagon leadership has set itself up to potentially oversee fundamental changes that could dramatically improve military warfighting capabilities for decades to come. In addition to realigning the defense budget, organizational structures, and acquisition policies to support warfighters, key decisions are still pending on how and where America will defend its security and prosperity.
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2 weeks ago | 
breakingdefense.com | John Ferrari |Todd Harrison
The new Pentagon leadership has set itself up to potentially oversee fundamental changes that could dramatically improve military warfighting capabilities for decades to come. In addition to realigning the defense budget, organizational structures, and acquisition policies to support warfighters, key decisions are still pending on how and where America will defend its security and prosperity.
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1 month ago | 
breakingdefense.com | John Ferrari
As the Army prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, it appears poised for major changes, bolder than the Marine Corps Force Design effort. And as with the Marine’s Force Design push, the Army is almost certain to see some dissent from those who stand to lose from the new paradigm.
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2 months ago | 
aei.org | John Ferrari
The Pentagon should soon send Congress its “skinny budget,” which is an outline of what it intends to spend, but without specific funding tables. Since the new administration has taken control of the Pentagon, proposals including eight percent budget trims, trillion dollar budgets, and major weapon cancellations have dominated the news. Much less discussed is a reported — and disputed — proposal to cut Army end-strength by up to 90,000 troops.
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2 months ago | 
breakingdefense.com | John Ferrari
The Pentagon should soon send Congress its “skinny budget,” which is an outline of what it intends to spend, but without specific funding tables. Since the new administration has taken control of the Pentagon, proposals including eight percent budget trims, trillion dollar budgets, and major weapon cancellations have dominated the news. Much less discussed is a reported — and disputed — proposal to cut Army end-strength by up to 90,000 troops.
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Mar 17, 2025 | 
yahoo.com | Todd Harrison |John Ferrari
In the early 1990s, the Department of Defense made a pivotal decision that has shaped American defense production for decades. Then-Secretary of Defense Les Aspin’s infamous “Last Supper” meeting with defense industry leaders signaled that the end of the Cold War would mean a drastic reduction in military spending and that industry consolidation was required. This move, reminiscent of Britain’s post-war industrial policies, has led to an inefficient and uncompetitive defense sector.
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Mar 14, 2025 | 
breakingdefense.com | John Ferrari
The United States Navy stands at a critical juncture, and as the global maritime landscape evolves, so too must our approach to maintaining naval supremacy. As it stands now, the navy is incapable of being active in three simultaneous theaters, lacks the depth in munitions, ships, and personnel for sustained combat operations, and struggles to produce the necessary warships, using outdated concepts from World War II and the Cold War. Which is to say, almost every part of the system is flawed.
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Feb 25, 2025 | 
yahoo.com | John Ferrari |Todd Harrison
The Department of Defense is about to undergo a fundamental shift in its organization and how it buys weapons, provides operational support to warfighters and employs its people. The Pentagon has previously been very difficult to change. But now, the pressure from President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency could force needed reform.
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Feb 14, 2025 | 
breakingdefense.com | John Ferrari
The Army currently appears to be holding the weakest hand in the Pentagon budget deliberation process. Just look at the Senate, which is recommending an add of $150B to defense, with priorities listed as growing the Navy and strengthening the shipbuilding industrial base; building an integrated air and missile defense for the Homeland, and investments in the nuclear enterprise. There is only one plus up for the Army: maintaining military readiness.
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Jan 30, 2025 | 
breakingdefense.com | John Ferrari
The president has recently reiterated his commitment to “peace through strength,” and the Congress is hard at work to make that happen. Initial press reports indicate that Congress could increase defense spending through the reconciliation process by as much as $200 billion, or $100B per year for fiscal 2025 and 2026, above the Biden-proposed defense topline request of $849.8B. With the FY25 NDAA already passed, normally, any additional funds would be added by the appropriators.
