Updated December 15, 2021
Defense Primer: Future Years Defense Program (FYDP)
Background
view their organization’s portion of the FYDP through a
The Future Years Defense Program (FYDP) is a projection
web-based application hosted on the department’s classified
of the forces, resources, and programs to support
network.
Department of Defense (DOD) operations. The FYDP is
compiled every year and typically completed during the
Section 221 of Title 10, U.S. Code, stipulates that the
programming phase of the Planning, Programming,
Secretary of Defense shall submit a FYDP to Congress in
Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) process. The projection
conjunction with the President’s budget request. A
is updated during the budgeting phase to reflect DOD’s
classified version of the FYDP is generally submitted to the
final funding decisions presented in the annual President’s
congressional committees with jurisdiction over defense
budget request.
matters. Section 1042 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (P.L. 115-91)
The FYDP reflects the planned allocation of DOD
amended 10 U.S.C. §221 in part to require the Secretary to
resources to major strategic efforts over a multiyear period.
submit an unclassified electronic version of the FYDP.
According to the department’s Future Years Defense
While the structure of the FYDP is unclassified, the actual
Program (FYDP) Structure Handbook, the FYDP is
FYDP data remains classified. DOD has proposed
intended in part to link DOD’s internal review structure for
removing the statutory requirement to submit an
programs with Congress’s review structure for resources,
unclassified FYDP to avoid inadvertently revealing
including funding.
sensitive information about weapons development, force
structure, and strategic plans.
The FYDP projects DOD funding, manpower, and force
structure needs over a five-year period. The projection is
FYDP Organization and Content
typically depicted with defense resources for the two
The FYDP can be viewed as a way to link DOD resources
previous fiscal years and force structure estimates for the
(or inputs) to programs (or outputs). As such, the FYDP can
three subsequent fiscal years. For example, the FY2021
serve to compare or crosswalk the department’s output-
FYDP reflects FY2019 and FY2020 appropriations, the
focused internal review structure with the input-focused
current budget year estimate (FY2021) as part of the five-
congressional review structure.
year program (FY2021-FY2025), and the estimated force
structure through FY2028. See Figure 1.
The FYDP tracks the three broad categories of resources
available to the DOD as its inputs:
Figure 1. FY2021 FYDP Period
Total Obligatory Authority (TOA) – Appropriated
funding, in thousands of dollars;
Manpower – Military end-strength and civilian full-
time equivalent work years; and
Forces – Identified as either items of equipment or
combat units.
FYDP outputs are currently grouped under 12 Major Force
Programs (MFPs). An MFP is an aggregation of the
Source: CRS graphic based on DOD Directive 7045.14.
resources (TOA, Manpower, and Forces) necessary to
achieve DOD’s objective or plans. Currently, six of the
Primarily used as a planning tool, the FYDP allows DOD
MFPs are considered combat force programs and six are
and the military services to plan for anticipated changes to
considered support programs.
programs or priorities. Such changes may include
reallocating funding for a major defense acquisition
MFP 01* - Strategic Forces
program transitioning from research and development to
procurement; shifting funding from multiple programs to a
MFP 02* - General Purpose Forces
larger, higher-priority procurement; or identifying funding
MFP 03* - Command, Control, Communications,
for an emerging priority expected to require resourcing over
Intelligence, and Space
a period of multiple years.
MFP 04* - Mobility Forces
DOD Financial Management Regulation describes the
MFP 05* - Guard and Reserve Forces
FYDP as “a series of reports that record and display
MFP 06 - Research and Development
resource decisions” during the PPBE cycle. FYDP data are
MFP 07 - Central Supply and Maintenance
stored in a relational database. Users can enter, update, and
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Defense Primer: Future Years Defense Program (FYDP)
MFP 08 - Training, Medical, & Other Personnel
Figure 3.Program Element for Night Vision
Activities
Technology: PE0602709A
MFP 09 - Administration and Associated Activities
MFP 10 - Support of Other Nations
MFP 11* - Special Operations Forces
MFP 12 - National Security Space
*Combat force programs
FYDP Structure
Source: CRS graphic.
The FYDP’s structure allows a user to examine DOD plans
The first two characters identify the MFP that contains the
and programs in three dimensions: component (military
PE (in this case, MFP 06—Research and Development).
service or defense agency); MFP; and appropriation title
The third and fourth characters have special uses within
(e.g., military personnel, procurement, and military
certain MFPs. Within MFP 06, these characters indicate a
construction). See Figure 2.
specific DOD research and development funding category
(in this case, applied research). The fifth through seventh
Figure 2.FYDP Structure
characters provide the unique identification for that specific
element. The alphabetical suffix identifies the component
responsible for that PE. Commonly referenced PE suffixes
are
A – Army
BB – Special Operations Command
C – Missile Defense Agency
DZ – Office of the Secretary of Defense
F – Air Force
J – Joint Staff
M – Marine Corps
N – Navy
Resource Identification Codes
Each FYDP resource is identified by fiscal year as TOA,
Manpower, or Forces using a Resource Identification Code
Source: CRS graphic based on Defense Acquisition University
(RIC). The RIC is a four-digit code that specifies the type
il ustration.
of resource assigned to each PE. For example, TOA RICs
range from 0300 to 0999 and are used to identify
Program Elements
appropriation accounts in the President’s budget request.
Each DOD component submitting data to the FYDP assigns
TOA RICs generally correlate to standard account codes
resources to an MFP using a unique program element code
assigned by the Department of the Treasury.
or PE. The 12 MFPs include thousands of PEs. Each PE is a
unique alphanumeric code that identifies functional or
Unlike PEs, RICs are not visible in DOD’s budget
organizational entities and their related resources. PEs may
submission to Congress. Instead, the budget documents
have a narrow focus (such as Navy F/A-18 squadrons) or
generally identify the resource in plain text.
broad focus (such as Air Force long-range strategic
planning).
Relevant Statutes
PEs enable a user to identify allocations such as the total
Title 10, U.S. Code, Chapter 9 - Defense Budget Matters
resources assigned to a program, the weapon systems and
support systems within a program, specified resources in
CRS Product
logical groupings, or selected functional groupings of
CRS In Focus IF10429, Defense Primer: Planning, Programming,
resources. See Figure 3 for an example of a PE.
Budgeting and Execution (PPBE) Process, by Brendan W.
McGarry.
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Defense Primer: Future Years Defense Program (FYDP)
Other Resources
DOD, Defense Acquisition University, Acquisition
DOD Directive 7045.14, The Planning, Programming, Budgeting,
Encyclopedia (ACQuipedia), Future Years Defense Program
and Execution (PPBE) Process, January 25, 2013.
(FYDP).
DOD Financial Management Regulation (7000.14-R).
DOD, Future Years Defense Program (FYDP) Structure
Handbook, February 2020.
Brendan W. McGarry, Analyst in U.S. Defense Budget
Heidi M. Peters, Analyst in U.S. Defense Acquisition
Policy
IF10831
Disclaimer
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