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Research Spotlight

How Can the Air Force Keep from Drowning in Data?— April 10, 2012

video camera lens

The Air Force uses advanced sensors such as high-quality video feeds to collect a massive amount of vital intelligence in near real time. A new PAF report identifies promising approaches in the commercial world—including “reality TV” production—that could help Air Force intelligence analysts more effectively and efficiently process, exploit, and disseminate this flood of information.

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The Path to the Right Active/Reserve Mix — Apr 18, 2012

One of the most consequential and contentious issues Air Force leadership faces is determining the active-reserve mix that meets multiple national security objectives at the lowest cost. Al Robbert, a senior policy researcher at RAND, addresses issues raised in Foreignpolicy.com concerning a forthcoming PAF report. PAF’s analysis finds that the cost-minimizing mix of active and reserve flying units is related to the intensity of ongoing operational demands and the capacity of active and reserve fleets to meet those demands.

Plan to Cut Air Guard Puts Costs in Spotlight—Ongoing PAF Study Cited — Mar 26, 2012

The Wall Street Journal interviewed RAND senior policy analyst Al Robbert about his findings from an ongoing analysis of the relative costs of active component and reserve component flying units.

The Capabilities of China's Rapidly Modernizing Air Force — Feb 22, 2012

In "A Revolution for China's Air Force," airforce-magazine.com discusses Chinese military efforts to make the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) into the world's preeminent air power. The article references "Shaking the Heavens and Splitting the Earth," a RAND report analyzing how the PLAAF would likely employ its rapidly modernizing air forces in a future conflict.

Is Regime Change in Iran the Only Solution? — Jan 26, 2012

In www.foreignpolicy.com, senior international affairs analyst Alireza Nader discusses how U.S. sanctions or military strikes could slow but are not likely to destroy Iran's nuclear program. Only the Iranian people themselves, he argues, can spur the political change that will improve social and economic conditions and reduce the nuclear threat.

Election Fears and Economic Woes Pose New Challenges for Iran's Leaders — Jan 3, 2012

The legitimacy of Iran's upcoming parliamentary elections and the impact of the West's sanctions on Iran's economy may undermine the authority of the current regime. Alireza Nader, a senior policy analyst at RAND, is quoted in a New York Times article.

PAF Annual Report Highlights Key Research Contributions in 2011 — Dec 30, 2011

Over the past year, Project AIR FORCE researchers have reported on such complex challenges as alternative fuels for military aircraft, terrorist safe havens in Afghanistan, and techniques for analyzing large amounts of visual data in real time. The 2011 PAF Annual Report outlines how these and many other PAF studies are helping the U.S. Air Force to plan, train, and operate more effectively.

History Shows Danger of Arbitrary Defense Cuts — Nov 23, 2011

As a result of the congressional super committee's inability to reach a debt-reduction agreement, the U.S. military faces automatic budget cuts of half a trillion dollars or more. Paula Thornhill, director of PAF's Strategy and Doctrine Program, examines the impact of similarly-determined cuts on Britain's military readiness prior to World War II.