Updated December 23, 2022
Defense Primer: Future Years Defense Program (FYDP)
Background
view their organization’s portion of the FYDP through a
The Future Years Defense Program (FYDP, commonly
web-based application hosted on the department’s classified
pronounced “fye-dip”) is a projection of the forces,
network.
resources, and programs to support Department of Defense
(DOD) operations. The FYDP is compiled every year and
Title 10, Section 221, of the United States Code (hereafter
typically completed during the programming phase of the
U.S.C.), stipulates that the Secretary of Defense shall
Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE)
submit a FYDP to Congress in conjunction with the
process. DOD updates the projection during the budgeting
President’s budget request. A classified version of the
phase to reflect DOD’s final funding decisions presented in
FYDP is generally submitted to the congressional
the annual President’s budget request.
committees with jurisdiction over defense matters. Section
1042 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
The FYDP reflects the planned allocation of DOD
Year 2018 (P.L. 115-91) amended 10 U.S.C. §221 in part to
resources to major strategic efforts over a multiyear period.
require the Secretary to submit an unclassified electronic
According to the department’s Future Years Defense
version of the FYDP. However, while the structure of the
Program (FYDP) Structure Handbook, the FYDP is
FYDP is unclassified, the actual FYDP data remains
intended in part to link DOD’s internal review structure for
classified. DOD has proposed removing the statutory
programs with Congress’s review structure for resources,
requirement to submit an unclassified FYDP to avoid
including funding.
inadvertently revealing 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. FY2023 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.
DOD currently groups FYDP outputs 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: 1) component (military
PE (in this case, MFP 06: Research and Development). The
service or defense agency); 2) MFP; and 3) appropriation
third and fourth characters have special uses within certain
title (e.g., military personnel, procurement, and military
MFPs. Within MFP 06, these characters indicate a specific
construction). See Figure 2.
DOD research and development funding category (in this
case, applied research). The fifth through seventh characters
Figure 2.FYDP Structure
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, Ch. 9, of the U.S. Code: 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, updated 2017
(FYDP)
DOD Financial Management Regulation (7000.14-R)
DOD, Future Years Defense Program (FYDP) Structure Handbook,
updated 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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