Defense and Security
RAND conducts a broad array of national security research for the U.S. Department of Defense. RAND also carries out an extensive research program in homeland security, homeland defense, and terrorism-related research for the U.S. Government, as well as selected research for key allied governments and ministries of defense.
The following RAND Federally Funded Research and Development Centers conduct national security research: RAND Project AIR FORCE, RAND Arroyo Center, and RAND National Defense Research Institute.
RAND research on crime, violence, and substance abuse offers objective analysis in place of emotion or ideology. Much of this research is conducted by the Safety and Justice Program of RAND Infrastructure, Safety, and Environment.
Featured Research
Implications for U.S. of the Saudi-Iranian Struggle for Influence in the Middle East — Mar. 17, 2009
Saudi Arabia and Iran have long been rivals in the Middle East, but the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003 and the ongoing war in Iraq have increased tensions between the two states. This study analyzes the Saudi-Iranian struggle for influence in Iraq, the Persian Gulf, Lebanon and Palestine and its implications for U.S. interests.
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Developing Global Partnerships to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction — Mar. 16, 2009
This RAND National Defense Research Institute study outlines and then applies a four-step process for developing regional approaches to working with appropriate partner countries around the world in order to compensate for limited resources and knowledge in confronting weapons of mass destruction (WMD) threats.
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Research Brief
United States, East Africa Allies Must Overcome Radical Islam to Reshape the Region' Security — Feb. 4, 2009
While al Qaeda is the primary terrorist/extremist threat in East Africa, the region suffers more broadly from a danger of radical Islamist groups and organizations that the United States and its allies must address to reshape the region's security environment.
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Afghanistan's Growing Security Challenge — Jan. 27, 2009
This essay from a collection, which examines the security situation in Afghanistan through the largest public opionon survey ever conducted in Afghanistan, asks three questions. What are Afghan perceptions of the security environment? How do these perceptions vary across the country? How do Afghans feel about their security institutions?
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Access the full report at asiafoundation.org
Domestic Trends in the United States, China, and Iran: Implications for U.S. Security Planning — Jan. 22, 2009
The U.S. Navy faces uncertainty about the need to prepare for a high-end future conflict against a powerful, well-armed opponent versus the so-called Long War against rogue nations and terrorist organizations. The answer depends to a large extent on the evolution of U.S. relations with China and Iran and the future of the United States itself.
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Mumbai Terrorist Attacks Show Rise of Strategic Terrorist Culture — Jan. 16, 2009
The Mumbai terrorist attacks in India suggest the possibility of an escalating terrorist campaign in South Asia and the rise of a strategic terrorist culture. This report identifies the operational and tactical features of the attack, evaluates the response of Indian security forces, and analyzes the implications for the region and the U.S.
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Guidelines and Recommendations for Opening Dialogue with Iran — Jan. 8, 2009
While Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad grabs the headlines, it is Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who is Iran's most powerful figure. And... it is Khamenei's sense of strategic confidence, distrust of the United States and his focus on Iranian sovereignty that are the sources behind Tehran's aversion to compromise.
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