2012-05-24T20:56:47Z Copyright (c) 2012, The RAND Corporation RAND Corporation http://www.rand.org/topics/military-equipment.html http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR993.html May 24, 2012 May 24, 2012

Examines contracting alternatives for the full deployment phase of the U.S. Navy's Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) system, which is intended to give the Navy a common set of key command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence networks across the fleet. Recommends a multiple-contract model that assigns the technical, production, and installation functions to the organizations that can provide the best value.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR1147.html May 24, 2012 May 24, 2012

Nearly all Air Force electronics are tested and repaired using automatic test systems, most of which were designed and built for specific aging weapon systems and are beset by increasing hardware and software obsolescence. The Air Force is planning to modernize these capabilities by rehosting the testing on modern, common families of test equipment. This report focuses on the economic aspect of the rehosting decision.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/05/22/FP.html May 22, 2012 May 22, 2012

Khamenei faces a critical choice in the months ahead: make a compromise to lessen tensions with the United States and the international community, or maintain a status quo that may set in motion the demise of his regime, writes Alireza Nader.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/05/17/IHT.html May 16, 2012 May 16, 2012

At a time when the European Union faces mounting economic and political challenges, maintaining a strong, vibrant Atlantic alliance is more important than ever, write F. Stephen Larrabee and Peter A. Wilson.

http://www.rand.org/publications/randreview/issues/2012/spring/iran.html May 11, 2012 May 11, 2012

This <em>RAND Review</em> cover story recommends alternatives to military action that are more likely to dissuade Iran from producing, testing, and deploying nuclear weapons, while also promoting a more democratic and responsible Iranian regime.

http://www.rand.org/news/press/2012/04/26.html Apr 26, 2012 Apr 26, 2012

Lt. Gen. Glenn A. Kent, a strategist, analyst and teacher whose career spanned World War II, the Cold War and the post-Cold War eras, died April 25.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR1003.html Apr 24, 2012 Apr 24, 2012

The authors propose a planning concept for U.S. military expeditionary medical care that, by promoting patient flow rate as the common unit of measurement, will help integrate medical planning across treatment and evacuation functions, across the increasing levels of care, and across the different military services.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/04/17/USIP.html Apr 17, 2012 Apr 17, 2012

Beset by economic problems, political divisions, and domestic discontent, Iranian leaders may compromise&mdash;or appear to make compromises&mdash;to cushion the regime from the mounting internal and external pressures, writes Alireza Nader.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG1103.html Apr 17, 2012 Apr 17, 2012

A new book by the late French scholar Th&eacute;r&egrave;se Delpech provides a critical review and update of nuclear deterrence theory, focusing a critical eye on nuclear issues during the Cold War, examining the lessons of past nuclear crises, and outlining ways in which these lessons apply to major nuclear powers and nuclear pretenders today.

http://www.rand.org/news/press/2012/04/17.html Apr 17, 2012 Apr 17, 2012

A new book by the late French scholar Th&eacute;r&egrave;se Delpech provides a critical review and update of nuclear deterrence theory, focusing a critical eye on nuclear issues during the Cold War, examining the lessons of past nuclear crises, and outlining ways in which these lessons apply to major nuclear powers and nuclear pretenders today.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/04/16/FP.html Apr 16, 2012 Apr 16, 2012

The cost of providing ready aircrews, maintainers, and aircraft is one measure. But the cost of generating flying hours and satisfying ongoing operational demands must also be considered, writes Albert A. Robbert.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/04/02/ALMON.html Apr 2, 2012 Apr 2, 2012

For Khamenei, increasing US and Israeli concerns regarding the nuclear program may enhance its value as a deterrent and point of leverage in Iran's conflict with the US, making the nuclear program a major tool to be used against the US, rather than a prize to be bargained away, writes Alireza Nader.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG788.html Mar 14, 2012 Mar 14, 2012

The ability of U.S. forces to gather, process, and disseminate battlespace information in a networked fashion has given them an advantage in major combat operations. The Army should extend the network to lower echelons; expand it to include host nation, coalition, and other U.S. government partners; and invest more time in developing informal networks.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR1136.html Mar 7, 2012 Mar 7, 2012

The body armor that U.S. forces wear in Afghanistan is effective against ballistic threats, but it is heavy in weight and makes up a large portion of the load that soldiers and marines carry on patrol and into combat. This report summarizes a congressionally directed study of how body armor weight can be reduced.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG1174.html Mar 6, 2012 Mar 6, 2012

An econometric assessment of the effectiveness of incentive pays in retaining remotely piloted aircraft pilots and sensor operators. Civilian pilot and sensor operator salaries are higher than those of other officers or enlisted personnel, indicating that incentive pays should be continued, along with reenlistment bonuses, because failure to retain enough personnel would cause serious problems with filling critical positions.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR1133.html Mar 6, 2012 Mar 6, 2012

The information explosion resulting from vast amounts of new motion imagery threatens to leave Air Force intelligence analysts drowning in data. One approach to meeting this challenge is to implement certain process changes and adopt a new organizational construct to improve the effectiveness of Air Force intelligence analysts while confronting the reality of limited resources.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/03/05/USNEWS.html Mar 5, 2012 Mar 5, 2012

Essential to any Israeli government decision to bomb Iran is confidence that whatever advice Washington might provide before the attack, the U.S. administration will feel bound to help Israel cope with the consequences of its action, writes James Dobbins.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/02/23/PBS.html Feb 23, 2012 Feb 23, 2012

Many Iranians are increasingly concerned that the supreme leader is taking Iran down a dangerous path and is unwilling to turn back, whatever the pressures, writes Alireza Nader.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR1143.html Feb 23, 2012 Feb 23, 2012

When a weapon system ceases production, the tooling not needed for sustainment that cannot be repurposed must either be disposed of or stored. Storage is not free, but system-specific tooling might become necessary for a restart, and starting from scratch can be expensive, although some tools cost more to store than they are worth. The authors examine these tooling retention issues for the C-17 cargo aircraft.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/02/21/LAT.html Feb 21, 2012 Feb 21, 2012

While a nuclear-armed Iran that hasn't been attacked is dangerous, one that has been attacked may be much more likely to brandish its capabilities, to make sure it does not face an attack again, writes Dalia Dassa Kaye.