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The Center for National Defense has recently published several new reports.

"Changing Current 'Use It or Lose It' Policy Would Result in More Effective Use of Defense Dollars" by Frederico Bartels explains how expiring budget authority adversely affects the management of Department of Defense resources.

"Missile Defense for Guam Needed to Improve Deterrence in the Indo–Pacific" by Patty-Jane Geller recommends a phased approach toward missile defense for Guam in order to deter the Chinese threat in the Indo-Pacific region.

"Swiss Government Purchase of F-35A Fighter Jet Reveals Critical Flaws in U.S. Air Force Decision to Buy F-15EX" by John Venable highlights the results of a Swiss cost comparison study between the F-35A and the F/A-18E/F and their significance to U.S. policymaking.

"Congress Should Incentivize Forward Naval Presence in Key Areas" by Brent Sadler recommends adding a forward naval presence line of funding within the Pacific Deterrence Initiative and the European Deterrence Initiative, designed to enable greater forward maritime presence in decisive theaters in great-power competition with China and Russia.

Changing Current “Use It or Lose It” Policy Would Result in More Effective Use of Defense Dollars

The Department of Defense manages around $700 billion annually based on plans developed at least two years before their execution. Once appropriated, any movement of plan resources often requires congressional acquiescence. In this environment, even estimates off by as little as 0.01 percent can equal $70 million—real money, even for the federal government. Attention should be paid to the phenomenon of “use it or lose it”—how expiring budget authority adversely affects the management of department resources. Congress should change the financial rules that govern the obligation rate of these defense funds, allowing some of these funds to be rolled over to the next fiscal year and accelerating reprogramming and transfers.

“Use it or lose it” is based on the fear that agency officials have of losing future budget authority unless they obligate all their current authority.
Between fiscal years 2013 and 2018, the Department of Defense had more than $81 billion canceled, most in appropriations severely impacted by “use it or lose it.”
Congress should change the rules that govern defense obligation rates, allow more budget authority rollovers, and accelerate reprogramming and transfers.

Read the full report.

Missile Defense for Guam Needed to Improve Deterrence in the Indo–Pacific

Considering the speed of China’s military buildup and increasing regional aggression, time is of the essence for defending Guam. To deter the Chinese threat, the Department of Defense (DOD) should commit to a phased approach toward missile defense for Guam, initially providing an Aegis Ashore system (the most feasible and realistic system for timely deployment that meets INDOPACOM’s requirements), while simultaneously initiating an effort to incrementally improve the system with additional sensors and shooters. The DOD should avoid getting bogged down in the minutia of the architectural details and should establish firm deadlines for determining the architecture of a Guam missile defense against China to avoid indefinite analysis paralysis.

Guam provides U.S. forces with a strategic location to fight from in conflict with China, but it is increasingly threatened by China’s forces.
To enhance deterrence, the DOD needs to quickly deploy advanced missile defense on Guam after deferring the effort for too long.
The DOD should commit to building Aegis Ashore—which could subsequently be built upon—and congressional funding should support the urgency of the effort.

Read the full report.

Swiss Government Purchase of F-35A Fighter Jet Reveals Critical Flaws in U.S. Air Force Decision to Buy F-15EX

An independent study by the Swiss Federal Council determined that the F-35A stealth fighter was significantly more effective and less costly to acquire, operate, and sustain than the F/A-18E/F—which itself is far cheaper to acquire and operate than the F-15EX. The stark contrast between the Swiss findings on the F-35A and the expenses attributed to the F-35A by the U.S. Defense Department are troubling. Congress should commission an independent body to determine the real acquisition, operations, and sustainment costs for both the F-35A and the F-15EX. Congress should use the study’s findings to ensure that the U.S. Air Force is acquiring the most combat-ready and cost-effective fighters available.

The Swiss government evaluated four fighters and rated the F-35A well above all others in performance, interoperability, and, surprisingly, cost.
The Swiss evaluation found the F-35A to cost $2.16 billion less to acquire, operate, and sustain than even the F/A-18, which costs far less than the F-15EX.
The U.S. Congress should direct an independent study to determine objective costs for acquisition, operations, and sustainment for the F-35A and F-15EX.

Read the full report.

Congress Should Incentivize Forward Naval Presence in Key Areas

Congress should establish a forward naval presence line of funding within the Pacific Deterrence Initiative and the European Deterrence Initiative, designed to enable greater forward maritime presence in decisive theaters in great-power competition with China and Russia. Given the strategic implications and the intensifying competition with China and Russia, Congress can and should enable effective forward presence. Only by being “there” can the military secure U.S. asymmetric advantages in security partnerships and complicate efforts to undermine U.S. interests through grey-zone tactics.

A deficit of ships meant the sole U.S. carrier strike group in the Western Pacific had to relocate to cover the recently announced Afghanistan withdrawal.
U.S. naval presence in Indo–Pacific waters has been limited. This must change if the nation is to effectively compete with China and Russia.
Congress should provide more resources to ensure greater forward maritime presence in decisive theaters such as the South China Sea and Eastern Mediterranean.

Read the full report.