The European Deterrence Initiative: A Budgetary Overview

The European Deterrence Initiative: A Budgetary Overview

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Updated July 1, 2021
The European Deterrence Initiative: A Budgetary Overview
Background
wall and the aforementioned reported plan to withdraw U.S.
The European Deterrence Initiative (EDI) is a Department
troops from Germany. Other congressional voices have
of Defense (DOD) effort to “enhance the U.S. deterrence
urged European allies to increase military investments to
posture, increase the readiness and responsiveness of U.S.
augment EDI and related NATO deterrence efforts.
forces in Europe, support the collective defense and
FY2022 Budget Request and Funding
security of NATO allies, and bolster the security and
capacity of U.S. allies and partners,” according to the DOD
Levels
European Deterrence Initiative Fact Sheet.
Figure 1 illustrates annual funding levels for EDI. The
FY2022 request for the initiative is 19% less than the
EDI began as the European Reassurance Initiative (ERI) in
amount appropriated in FY2021, and, if enacted, would
June 2014. The Obama Administration launched it
represent the third consecutive year of reduced funding.
primarily as an effort to reassure U.S. allies in Europe of a
Through FY2021, the initiative received funding designated
continued U.S. commitment to their security in the wake of
for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO). For FY2022,
Russia’s 2014 invasion and occupation of Ukraine’s Crimea
the Biden Administration requested funding for EDI and
region and instigation of conflict in eastern Ukraine. As
other enduring operations in the base budget as part of a
tensions with Russia mounted, the focus of the program
broader effort to discontinue requests for OCO as a separate
broadened from reassuring allies to deterring Russian
funding category. The Administration has said it remains
aggression. DOD began referring to the program as EDI in
committed to EDI and, more generally, to European
2018.
security.
Today, EDI is a key funding source for U.S. European
The FY2022 EDI budget request would support an “average
Command’s (EUCOM) posture adjustments in response to
strength” of 9,954 active, reserve, and guard personnel
the evolving European security environment, also referred
deployed in the EUCOM theater, in addition to those
to as Operation Atlantic Resolve. EDI has enabled the first
assigned there. These include 9,452 Army, 459 Air Force,
increase in U.S. military forces in Europe since the end of
and 43 Navy personnel participating in EDI activities in
the Cold War. This includes the rotational deployment of an
Europe. As of February 2020, about 74,000 U.S. personnel
Armored Brigade Combat Team (BCT), mostly in Central
were permanently stationed in Europe.
and Eastern Europe. Two BCTs, one Stryker-equipped and
Figure 1. EDI Budget FY2015-FY2021
one airborne infantry, are permanently stationed in
Europe—in Germany and Italy, respectively. A prominent
(In bil ions of dol ars)
objective of EDI has been to enable rapid military
mobilization to Central and Eastern Europe in order to
respond quickly to military aggression in the region.
Congress has supported EDI since its inception in FY2015,
its first appropriation of $985 million. Between FY2016
and FY2019, Congress authorized significant annual
increases in EDI funding as requested. Funding for the
effort peaked at $6.5 billion in FY2019, and was $6.0
billion in FY2020 and $4.5 billion in FY2021. The Biden
Administration has requested $3.7 billion for FY 2022.
Some Members of Congress raised questions about the

reduced funding level requested by the Trump
Source: Under Secretary of Defense (Comptrol er).
Administration for FY2021 and may echo these concerns
EDI Focus Areas
regarding the Biden Administration’s FY2022 request. The
Since its inception, EDI has divided its funding into five
Biden Administration has sought to address some of these
categories. Figure 2 shows the funding trends of each
concerns, including by announcing in April 2021 that it was
category. The following are descriptions and selected
reversing a Trump Administration plan to withdraw up to
highlights based on the FY2022 EDI budget request.
12,000 of the approximately 35,000 U.S. troops stationed in
Germany and instead would deploy 500 additional troops to
Increased Presence ($1.47 billion in FY2021, $1.24 billion
U.S. bases in the country.
requested in FY2022) is the largest funding category and
provides EUCOM with a larger military presence intended
During the Trump Administration, critics, including some
to deter and respond to regional adversaries. A significant
Members of Congress, also questioned the rationale behind
component of this line of effort is Army Rotational Forces,
the deferral of EDI projects—totaling $772 million in 2019
which create a constant U.S. military presence in Eastern
and $316 million in 2020—to fund the U.S.-Mexico border
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The European Deterrence Initiative: A Budgetary Overview
Europe through a nine-month rotational deployment of an
Note: FY2022 numbers show requested amounts.
Armored BCT.
Considerations for Congress
Enhanced Prepositioning ($1.94 billion in FY2021, $1.19
As EDI enters its eighth year of existence, Members of
billion requested in FY2022) supports the prepositioning of
Congress may assess the degree to which the program
equipment and material to allow military forces to increase
aligns with broader congressional security and defense
readiness and deploy rapidly, if needed.
priorities in Europe, including deterring Russian aggression.
A large component of Enhanced Prepositioning is the Army
Areas of interest might include the following:
Prepositioned Stocks (APS), which stores large sets of

equipment to reduce the demand on strategic transportation
NATO/European Contributions. Although it is not a
assets in the event of a conflict. APS locations include
NATO program, EDI is widely viewed as a U.S.-led
Belgium, Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands.
cornerstone of broader NATO efforts to deter Russian
aggression in Europe. As Administration requests for
Improved Infrastructure ($436.4 million in FY2021,
EDI funding have decreased, some Members of
$648 million requested in FY2022) is intended for the
Congress have urged Europeans to increase
construction and improvement of infrastructure and
contributions to NATO efforts.
facilities to support military readiness and operations. These

improvements apply to U.S. airfields, bases, and training
Rotational vs. Permanent Troop Deployment. In
ranges in Europe. The FY2021 improvements focused on
pursuing EDI’s objectives, the relative cost of rotational
Germany and Romania, totaling $264 million.
forces versus a permanent military presence in Central
and Eastern Europe may be of interest. This may include
Building Partnership Capacity ($409 million in FY2021,
evaluating the prospects for a new permanent U.S.
$380.3 million requested in FY2022) is designed to build
military presence in Europe and Russia’s potential
and strengthen the capacity of European allies to defend
response to a new permanent U.S. base in Central or
themselves, respond to regional crises, and operate with
Eastern Europe.
U.S. forces.
 Longer Term EDI Planning. EDI has been funded
 The Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative falls under
through OCO funding rather than the base budget.
this category. EDI has included separate funding for
Unlike DOD’s Future Years Defense Program (FYDP),
Ukraine annually since the inception of the program.
which includes projected funding over five years, OCO
The FY2022 EDI budget requests $250 million in
funding was typically planned for one year at a time. In
security assistance to Ukraine in the forms of
recent National Defense Authorization Acts, Congress
“intelligence support, personnel training, lethal
instructed the Administration to shift EDI funding to
equipment and logistics support, supplies, and other
DOD’s base budget, in part to signal to allies long-term
services.” Despite EDI funding decreases, funding to
U.S. support for the effort. Some Members of Congress
Ukraine has remained at $250 million for the past three
may wish to learn the Biden Administration’s longer
years.
term plans for the program.

Exercises and Training ($293.8 million in FY2021, $228
Changing Security Environment. Nonconventional
million requested in FY2022) supports U.S. involvement in
challenges from Russia, such as information warfare, are
exercises to increase cohesion between U.S. and NATO
increasing. Congress may assess the extent to which
forces and deter aggressive regional actors. This focus area
EDI addresses these, as well as other more conventional
funded the “Defender-Europe 20” exercise, which intended
security challenges.
to mobilize the largest deployment of U.S. troops to Europe
CRS Products
in the past 25 years. The exercise began in early 2020 but
was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Exercises
CRS Report R46066, NATO: Key Issues for the 117th Congress,
have resumed in 2021.
by Paul Belkin
Figure 2. EDI Budget Focus Areas, FY2015-FY2022
CRS In Focus IF11130, United States European Command:
Overview and Key Issues, by Kathleen J. McInnis and Brendan
(In bil ions of dol ars)
W. McGarry

Paul Belkin, Analyst in European Affairs
Hibbah Kaileh, Research Assistant
IF10946

Source: CRS analysis based on Undersecretary of Defense
Comptrol er information, available at https://comptrol er.defense.gov/
Budget-Materials/.
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The European Deterrence Initiative: A Budgetary Overview

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