20 March 2016

The Army Modernization Challenge

A Historical Perspective 
By Rhys McCormick 
Mar 17, 2016 
Since 2008, Army modernization ([1] Procurement; and [2] Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation (RDT&E) accounts) total obligation authority has fallen by 74 percent in real terms. In absolute terms, this decline seems substantial, but how does the current Army modernization trajectory compare to the challenges faced in previous defense drawdowns? Following the end of previous conflicts (Korea, Vietnam, and the Cold War), the U.S. defense budget has shrunk to historically similar levels, as has happened since 2008 with the withdrawal and drawdowns in Iraq and Afghanistan. This paper answers the question: Are the trends seen in Army modernization today similar in nature to trends of the previous drawdowns, or is this time different?
Publisher CSIS 





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