National Security: Documents Available Online
For more information on current research projects, please visit the National Security Research Area. The documents below are alphabetized by title.
2008
Afghanistan: State and Society, Great Power Politics, and the Way Ahead: Findings from an International Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark, 2007
Compiles papers presented at an international conference on the problems that Afghanistan faces in the wake of the U.S.-led attack on al Qaeda and the Taliban; the obstacles to nation-building in the country; and possible solutions to these issues.
After Saddam: Prewar Planning and the Occupation of Iraq
Examines prewar planning efforts for postwar Iraq, the role of U.S. military forces after the end of major combat, and civilian efforts at reconstruction.
Aircraft Carrier Maintenance Cycles and Their Effects
This research brief summarizes RAND's analysis of the feasibility of different cycle lengths and their effect on the operational availability of Nimitz-class aircraft carriers. The authors also examine cycle length impact on shipyard workloads.
Allocation of Forces, Fires, and Effects Using Genetic Algorithms
Using information about friendly and enemy forces and the terrain, a RAND-developed model that incorporates a genetic algorithm (1) determines preferred Blue routes around Red forces and (2) allocates forces to these routes.
Analytic Support to Intelligence in Counterinsurgencies
Examines the nature of the contemporary insurgent threat and provides insights on using operational analysis techniques to support intelligence operations in counterinsurgencies.
Analyzing Contingency Contracting Purchases for Operation Iraqi Freedom (Unrestricted Version)
This study examines U.S. Air Force in-theater contingency purchases made in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom during fiscal years 2003 and 2004 and develops a custom database to assist in analysis of demand and future decisionmaking.
An Argument for Documenting Casualties: Violence Against Iraqi Civilians 2006
The authors examine available open-source data on Iraqi civilian fatalities and assess problems associated with previous collection efforts. They present a more robust dataset and propose a framework for future data gathering in Iraq and beyond.
Asia, America, and the Transformation of Geopolitics
Post-Cold War Asia is increasingly unstable due to changes in relationships among the major countries, risks to the globalization process that underlay U.S. Cold War successes, and failure so far of U.S. strategies to adapt to the new environment.
Assessing the Tradecraft of Intelligence Analysis
This report assesses the tradecraft of intelligence analysis across the main U.S. intelligence agencies and makes recommendations for getting and keeping the people intelligence needs and giving analysts the tools to do better work.
Breaking the Failed-State Cycle
This paper aims to improve the understanding and treatment of failed states by focusing on critical challenges at the intersections between security, economics, and politics and on the guiding goal of empowering local populations.
Caution Nation-Builders: Gender Assumptions Ahead
Drawing the female population into the nation-building process will be good for a country's post-conflict progress and stability.
The Challenge of Nuclear-Armed Regional Adversaries
Deterring nuclear use by regional adversaries such as North Korea could be problematic in some situations. This book examines the strategic and force planning implications of this shift in the international security environment.
The Challenges of Trying Terrorists as Criminals: Proceedings of a RAND/SAIS Colloquium
When charges of terrorism are made against an individual, courts must strive to balance the rights of the accused, on the one hand, and national security, on the other, while avoiding any appearance of departure from open justice.
Conducting Counterinsurgency Operations: Lessons from Iraq (2003-2006)
This research brief examines U.S. counterinsurgency operations in Iraq from 2003 to 2006, including U.S. failure to protect Iraqi civilians; implications for future conflicts; and recommends steps to improve U.S. counterinsurgency capabilities.
Considering a Cadre Augmented Army
Analyzes the attractiveness and feasibility of integrating a new type of unit into the Army from three perspectives: budgetary, operational, and historical.
Cost-Benefit Analysis of the 2006 Air Force Materiel Command Test and Evaluation Proposal
The Air Force proposal to consolidate and divest a portion of Eglin Air Force Base's test and evaluation capabilities has both financial merits and risks that the Air Force should address.
Countering Insurgency in the Muslim World: Rethinking U.S. Priorities and Capabilities
This research brief summarizes a RAND report that analyzes insurgencies such as those in Afghanistan and Iraq and calls for a major shift in investment priorities to give the United States the capabilities it needs for effective counterinsurgency.
Counterinsurgency in Afghanistan: RAND Counterinsurgency Study -- Volume 4
An examination of the U.S.-led campaign in Afghanistan illustrates that successful counterinsurgency requires effective indigenous security forces, especially police; a viable local government; and the suppression of external support for insurgents.
Counterinsurgency in Iraq (2003-2006): RAND Counterinsurgency Study -- Volume 2
Implications of failure to protect local populations in counterinsurgency (COIN) operations, overreliance on technology, and lack of a coherent COIN approach, along with strategic considerations in and recommendations to improve U.S. COIN capability.
Dangerous Thresholds: Managing Escalation in the 21st Century
This analysis of escalation dynamics and approaches to escalation management draws on a range of historical examples from World War I through Somalia in the early 1990s to inform escalation-related decisionmaking.
The Defense Acquisition Workforce: An Analysis of Personnel Trends Relevant to Policy, 1993-2006
Summarizes defense acquisition workforce analyses that RAND has undertaken in support of human capital strategic planning.
Department of Defense Training for Operations with Interagency, Multinational, and Coalition Partners
"Integrated operations" require the U.S. military to work with other government agencies, organizations, and foreign militaries. Current headquarter-staff training needs to be revamped to focus on high-priority tasks.
Developing Senior Navy Leaders: Requirements for Flag Officer Expertise Today and in the Future
Identifies the expertise requirements of senior Navy leadership positions, as well as the types of experience likely to become more important in the future, to better understand how the Navy should develop its officers.
Doctrine of Eternal Recurrence -- The U.S. Military and Counterinsurgency Doctrine, 1960-1970 and 2003-2006: RAND Counterinsurgency Study -- Paper 6
This paper tests and ultimately disproves the assumption that doctrine as written and operations as conducted are tightly linked. Ingrained organizational concepts and beliefs have a much greater influence on operations than written doctrine.
Does America Need A New Grand Strategy?
Testimony presented before the House Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations on July 15, 2008.
Effectively Sustaining Forces Overseas While Minimizing Supply Chain Costs: Targeted Theater Inventory
Discusses how to design a distribution network that takes advantage of the respective strengths of different modes of transportation to meet combatant command needs while minimizing total supply chain costs.
Ensuring That Army Infrastructure Meets Strategic Needs
Discusses how changes in U.S. national security strategy are affecting Army infrastructure needs, how well Army installations are adapting to changing strategic requirements, and issues that should be addressed in future infrastructure planning.
Estimating the Benefits of the Air Force Purchasing and Supply Chain Management Initiative
To help the Air Force assess the effectiveness of its purchasing and supply-chain management initiative, the authors have developed an econometric model to help isolate the effects of this initiative from those of other possible influences.
Europe's Role in Nation-Building: From the Balkans to the Congo
This volume compares and contrasts European experiences in nation-building with those of the U.S. and the UN based on six case studies of European-led nation-building missions in Albania, Sierra Leone, Macedonia, Côte d'Ivoire, the Congo, and Bosnia.
Evaluating Novel Threats to the Homeland: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Cruise Missiles
For several types of attacks, examines cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles from an adversary's perspective and assesses defensive options to address this and other asymmetric threats.
An Examination of Options to Reduce Underway Training Days Through the Use of Simulation
The U.S. Navy is looking for ways to reduce the annual operating costs of the fleet. RAND examines whether and how an increased use of simulators could reduce costly underway training days for DDG-51-class ships while sustaining readiness.
An Examination of the Relationship Between Usage and Operating and Support Costs for Air Force Aircraft
Examines the relationship between operating and support costs and usage of Air Force aircraft, in order to improve resource allocation.
Finding Candidate Options for Investment: From Building Blocks to Composite Options and Preliminary Screening
A methodology and prototype tool, the Building Blocks To Composite Options Tool (BCOT), that identifies investment options for defense capability areas, then uses a screening technique to identify those meriting more-extensive assessment in a fuller portfolio-analysis framework.
Fiscally Informed Total Force Manpower
Presents the results of a short-term review of 27 manpower studies to discover methods that other organizations could use to make ''fiscally informed'' manpower decisions.
Flexibility and Sensitivity to Local Concerns Are Crucial to Long-Term U.S. Security Relationships with Iraq and Afghanistan
This research brief discusses long-term U.S. security relationships with Iraq, Afghanistan, and the surrounding regions.
Future U.S. Security Relationships with Iraq and Afghanistan: U.S. Air Force Roles
Frames potential long-term U.S. security relationships with Iraq and Afghanistan in a regional context and posits roles of U.S. forces, especially the Air Force, in supporting these relationships under a variety of contingencies.
Getting Back on Track in Afghanistan
Testimony presented before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia on April 2, 2008.
Getting the Most Out of Littoral Combat Ships
This research brief summarizes analysis of the Littoral Combat Ship, the U.S. Navy's first modular warship, suggesting the best locations for homeports, mission package installation sites, and the quantity of mission packages that should be procured.
Guidelines and Metrics for Assessing Space System Cost Estimates
A handbook to help analysts assess cost estimates of space systems.
How Do Earnings Change When Reservists Are Activated?: A Reconciliation of Estimates Derived from Survey and Administrative Data
Among the many hardships of military activation is the possibility of losing earnings, and although some research points to such a loss, other research suggests that reservists in fact earn substantially more when they are activated.
How Terrorist Groups End: Implications for Countering al Qa'ida
This research brief describes an analysis of how terrorist groups end. The evidence since 1968 indicates that most groups have ceased to exist as a result of police and intelligence actions or of political accommodations, not military efforts.
How Terrorist Groups End: Lessons for Countering al Qa'ida
All terrorist groups end. But how do they end? Most groups since 1968 have ended because they joined the political process or are defeated by police and intelligence services. This has significant implications for countering al Qa'ida.
Improving Strategic Planning at the Department of Defense
This research brief summarizes a monograph presenting a framework, methods, and tools to support capabilities analysis and related tradeoff work within the Department of Defense and the military services. The monograph deals with choice and risk.
Improving U.S. Counterinsurgency Operations: Lessons Learned from Afghanistan
This research brief identifies challenges with local governance and external support as key issues in current counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan and offers some initial steps to address those challenges.
Improving the Cost Estimation of Space Systems
Analyzes the reason for the comparatively high growth in the cost of space systems by means of an in-depth study of two systems: SBIRS-High and GPS.
Increasing Aircraft Carrier Forward Presence: Changing the Length of the Maintenance Cycle
Evaluating multiple one- and two-deployment scenarios, RAND examines the feasibility of different cycle lengths, their effect on Nimitz-class aircraft carrier forward presence, and their impact on shipyard workloads.
Insights on Aircraft Programmed Depot Maintenance: An Analysis of F-15 PDM
This technical report describes the F-15 programmed depot maintenance (PDM) process as performed at the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center (WR-ALC) in FYs 2004-2006, assessing PDM duration and the challenges the process faces.
International Perspectives on Interagency Reform
Testimony presented before the House Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations on January 29, 2008.
Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery
A comprehensive study of the post-deployment health-related needs associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and traumatic brain injury among servicemembers returning from Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
Invisible Wounds of War: Quantifying the Societal Costs of Psychological and Cognitive Injuries
Testimony presented before the Joint Economic Committee on June 12, 2008.
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