The major print product of the Defence and Military Analysis Programme remains the IISS flagship publication The Military Balance, published since 1959 and regarded as the global benchmark in the assessment of national military capabilities and defence economics. However, the department is also active in developing and maintaining links with defence ministries, military and security forces, defence industries, as well as members of the expert community. These links, coupled with the strong analytical capacities of its in-house team of defence analysts, enable it to not only maintain the high credibility of its information, but also host a series of key public and private events (in the form of lectures, seminars and roundtable briefings) analysing global defence issues, increasingly through its developing Defence Analysis Forum.
In recent years, a study of European capabilities has formed an important element within this programme. The project objective, on its inception in 2005, was to assess the defence and security objectives of European nations and consider how new structures and technologies may enable them to meet their goals. This was set against the background of changing threats, heavy demand for military deployments by European countries, but an uncertain outlook for defence spending and the European industrial base. The project culminated in the IISS Strategic Dossier entitled Calculating European Military Capabilities: Building Armed Forces for Modern Operations, which was edited by Alexander Nicoll, Director of Editorial at the IISS, and Dr Bastian Giegerich, Consultng Senior Fellow for European Security. Dr Giegerich continues his work on issues concerning European military affairs and in October 2008 published Adelphi Paper 397 entitled European Military Crisis Management: Connecting Ambition and Reality.
The IISS Defence and Military Analysis Programme maintains close ties with other IISS research areas, such as those focusing on specific geographic areas but notably those examining themes such as European Security, Conflict and Non-proliferation and disarmament.
