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Center for Strategic and International Studies
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Center for Strategic and International Studies

Washington think tank whose war-cost estimates are shaping the US debate on funding Operation Epic Fury.

On 3 April, the Center for Strategic and International Studies counted 4,446 Iranian drones launched since 28 February, placing its analysis at the centre of the US debate over cheaper air defences.

Last refreshed: 22 September 2026 · Appears in 5 active topics

Key Question

If Russia's killer drones run on US chips, why is Washington banning Chinese drones instead?

Timeline for Center for Strategic and International Studies

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Background

The Center for Strategic and International Studies is a Washington think tank whose public work connects security policy with operational evidence. Its research spans defence technology, supply chains and cyber co-operation. On 7 May, it called for a pre-authorised US-South Korea cyber-response system rather than case-by-case diplomatic clearance.

The organisation also examines how technology reaches conflict zones. On 17 April, CSIS reported that US firms supplied 69% of the memory chips and 57% of the processors identified in Russia's AI-targeting drones.

CSIS matters because its reports turn technical and military evidence into arguments used in public policy debates. CSIS produces analysis and recommendations; governments retain decisions and operational command.

Key Issues
Drone warfare

CSIS counts Iran's drone campaign

On 3 April, CSIS published an estimate that Iran had launched 4,446 drones and 1,725 missiles since 28 February. It paired that count with a recommendation for cheaper interceptors, making the think tank's work part of the policy case for changing how air defences confront mass attacks.

For CSIS, the value of the analysis lies in converting a fast-moving campaign into comparable figures for policymakers. On 12 April, the collapse of The Gulf Ceasefire added maritime enforcement demands to the wider drone problem, sharpening the setting in which its count and cost analysis were assessed.

Common Questions
What is CSIS?
The Center for Strategic and International Studies is a Washington, D.C. bipartisan think tank founded in 1962. It employs around 220 researchers covering defence, geopolitics, technology, and economics, and is consistently ranked among the world's most influential foreign-policy institutions.Source: CSIS
How much has the Iran war cost according to CSIS?
CSIS estimated Operation Epic Fury cost roughly $900 million per day in its first 100 hours ($3.7 billion total), rising to $19 billion by three weeks in.Source: CSIS
What did CSIS warn about Houthis and Bab al-Mandeb?
CSIS analyst Mona Yacoubian warned that Houthis 'could engage on Red Sea shipping' if the Hormuz blockade tightens, flagging Bab al-Mandeb as a second chokepoint risk that markets have not yet priced.Source: CSIS / Mona Yacoubian
Is CSIS bipartisan or left-wing?
CSIS describes itself as bipartisan and draws funding from US government agencies, defence contractors, and allied governments. Both progressive and Conservative critics have used its war-cost figures to argue against the billion supplemental.Source: CSIS
What did CSIS say about the billion war bill?
CSIS did not take a position on the bill directly, but its million-per-day burn-rate estimate was central to both sides of the congressional debate. Fortune calculated that billion funds roughly 140 more days of operations at the CSIS-derived rate.Source: Fortune / CSIS
What did CSIS find about Russia's drone technology supply chain?
CSIS published analysis on 17 April 2026 finding that 69% of the memory hardware and 57% of the processors in Russia's AI-enabled drone ecosystem are sourced from US firms. Russia's V2U autonomous UAS runs on an Nvidia Jetson Orin module and uses YOLOv5 for target recognition. Only 9% of components come from Chinese suppliers.Source: industry-report
How much has Operation Epic Fury cost according to CSIS?
CSIS estimated the first 100 hours of Operation Epic Fury cost $3.7 billion, roughly $900 million per day. At three weeks, the running total stood at approximately $19 billion. These figures were cited in Senate Appropriations hearings and became the primary Independent cross-check on Pentagon cost claims.Source: industry-report
Is CSIS neutral or does it have a political agenda?
CSIS describes itself as bipartisan. Critics note its funding includes US government contracts, defence contractors, and allied governments — including firms whose weapons are the subject of its cost analyses. Its Iran war expenditure estimates were cited by both pro-intervention and anti-intervention legislators, suggesting its output is broadly treated as credible even when the funder composition creates theoretical conflicts.Source: industry-report
What is CSIS's view on the Iran-Russia relationship?
CSIS tracked Russia's provision of satellite targeting data to Iran for strikes on US command posts, radar sites, and a CIA station in Riyadh, published in March 2026. CSIS analyst Mona Yacoubian separately warned in April 2026 that Houthis could escalate against Red Sea shipping if the Hormuz blockade tightened, adding a second chokepoint dimension to CSIS's analytical coverage of the conflict.Source: industry-report
What did CSIS find about Russia's AI drone supply chain?
CSIS published analysis in April 2026 showing 69% of Russia's AI drone memory hardware and 57% of processors are sourced from US firms, with Nvidia Jetson Orin modules powering autonomous UAS.Source: CSIS
Is CSIS bipartisan or does it have a political agenda?
CSIS describes itself as bipartisan and its cost estimates have been cited across party lines, but its funders include major defence contractors whose revenues benefit from the operations CSIS analyses.
What is CSIS and why is it influential in Washington?
CSIS is a Washington think tank founded in 1962 employing about 220 researchers across defence, geopolitics and technology; it is consistently ranked among the world's most influential foreign-policy institutions and its findings are cited in Congressional hearings.
What did CSIS warn about Houthis and Red Sea shipping?
By Day 46 of Operation Epic Fury, CSIS analyst Mona Yacoubian warned that Houthis could engage Red Sea shipping if the Hormuz blockade tightened, raising the prospect of a second chokepoint disruption.Source: CSIS
Source Material
Think tank CSIS says US has spent $3.7 billion on Iran campaign in first 100 hoursCSIS Official WebsiteCenter for Strategic and International Studies