Today, we provide a brief overview of how the recent government shutdown impacted the Pentagon and its funding plans. Forecast International’s U.S. Defense Market analyst Shaun McDougall unpacks the disruptions, what programs are most exposed, and how the defense budget could shift in the months ahead.
To discover more, please check out Forecast International’s FY26 U.S. Defense Budget Spotlight. This is an interactive dashboard that provides insights into the annual defense budget cycle, combining historical topline trends with real-time updates from congressional defense committees.
Users can explore funding by category, compare the president’s request with each committee’s proposal, and dive into detailed procurement and RDT&E account changes.
All data from the Spotlight originates from Forecast International’s comprehensive U.S. Defense Budget Forecast database, which provides detailed tracking of every program in the Pentagon’s procurement and RDT&E accounts, along with downloadable spreadsheets and one-click access to program justification documents.
Shaun's deep-rooted interest in military equipment continues in his role as a senior defense analyst with a focus on the United States. He played an integral role in the development of Forecast International's U.S. Defense Budget Forecast, an interactive online product that tracks Pentagon acquisition programs throughout the congressional budget process. As editor of International Military Markets – North America, Shaun has cultivated a deep understanding of the vast defense markets in the United States and Canada. He is a regular contributor to Forecast International's Defense & Security Monitor blog and has co-authored white papers on global defense spending and various military programs.
A military history enthusiast, Richard began at Forecast International as editor of the World Weapons Weekly newsletter. As the Internet grew in importance as a research tool, he helped design the company's Forecast Intelligence Center and currently coordinates the EMarket Alert newsletters for clients. Richard also manages social media efforts, including two new blogs: Defense & Security Monitor, covering defense systems and international issues, and Flight Plan, which focuses on commercial aviation and space systems. For over 30 years, Richard has authored the Defense & Aerospace Companies, Volume I (North America) and Volume II (International) services. The two books provide detailed data on major aerospace and defense contractors. He also edits the International Contractors service, a database that tracks all the contractors involved in the programs covered in the FI library. More recently he was appointed Manager, Information Services Group (ISG), a new unit that encompasses developing outbound content for both Forecast International and Military Periscope.
