Align Strategies. Test Trade-Offs. Make Smarter Investments.

The United States and its allies face an evolving set of security challenges—from the development of advanced conventional weapons and nuclear proliferation to the resurgence of great power competition. At the same time, leaders must make hard choices amid constrained resources.

CSBA’s Strategic Choices Tool (SCT) gives leaders a hands-on way to explore and test how best to align defense strategies with the most effective allocation of scarce resources. The SCT allows organizations to quickly see trade-offs and opportunities in force structure, investment, and posture.

What the SCT Can Do

The SCT is a unique, web-based platform for rebalancing force structures. With it, users can:

  • Assess alternative force structures and postures;
  • Identify areas for greater investment or smart divestment;
  • Learn from U.S. and allied budget and force structure data;
  • Explore new operational concepts; and
  • Evaluate the division of labor between the United States and its allies

The SCT is grounded in real data and budgetary realities, making it a practical tool for policymakers, defense experts, and strategists.

The SCT offers:

  • Extensive Options: Choose from over 1,000 defense assets across 12 categories (air, sea, ground, personnel, readiness, R&D, and more).
  • International Scope: Beyond U.S. forces, the SCT includes datasets for Australia, Japan, Great Britain, and NATO allies, with more added regularly.
  • Focused Insights: Understand the fiscal impact of strategic choices and see which domains are likely to grow or shrink under different scenarios.

Hosted Strategic Choices Exercises

CSBA offers tailored Strategic Choices Exercises for government, industry, and academic partners. In these sessions:

  • CSBA analysts work directly with your team to frame the most pressing security challenges.
  • Participants use the SCT to make real investment and divestment decisions under fiscal constraints.
  • The exercise simulates two successive Future Year Defense Programs (FYDP), helping teams experience the dynamics of long-term planning.

These facilitated sessions are a fee-based service provided by CSBA and can be customized to your organization’s strategic questions and goals.

The View from China and Russia

The SCT also offers dedicated China and Russia modules, allowing users to step into the role of non-U.S. planners and explore future modernization pathways. This provides a valuable lens into China and Russia’s potential trajectories, allowing users to visualize dynamic move-by-move strategic competition when used in conjunction with the U.S. and allied tools.

Why Organizations Choose the SCT

The SCT is:

  • Straightforward: No need to build a budget from scratch. Make adjustments to the existing program of record through an intuitive interface.
  • Strategy-Driven: Draw on actual and projected budget data to link strategy-driven choices with real-world spending implications.
  • Adaptable and Scalable: It supports multiple users (100+), remote access, variable financial targets, and mission-specific customization.
  • User-friendly: Simple navigation and CSBA facilitation allow participants to focus on strategy, not mechanics.

Bring the SCT to Your Organization

The SCT is available exclusively through CSBA. We design and facilitate Strategic Choices Exercises for government agencies, defense industry partners, and academic institutions. Each exercise is tailored to your team’s unique challenges and goals, ensuring insights that are both actionable and relevant.