Cost growth in the development and fielding of technologically advanced weapon systems has become a major economic burden for many nations and is expected to be an enduring and prevalent problem. RAND research has provided cost analyses and recommendations to help policymakers and military leaders develop improved cost-estimating tools and formulate policies that mitigate cost growth in military technology acquisition practices.
Report
This report explores whether and when U.S. cyberattack capabilities can be demonstrated, then goes on to examine difficulties and drawbacks of doing so. Such brandishing is no panacea and could even backfire if misinterpreted.
Report
To reduce costs and take advantage of commercial technology, the U.S. Navy is pursuing open-architecture software and other improvements to its Aegis combat system. This report examines the potential benefits and challenges of this new approach.
Report
Addresses the challenges to team effectiveness caused by geographic diversity through an assessment of three modes of virtual collaboration.
Report
The U.S. Army is studying ways to apply its cyber power and is reconsidering doctrinally defined areas related to cyberspace operations. Clarifying the overlap between network and information operations and other areas could inform Army doctrine.
Blog
The United States can manage a cybercrisis by taking steps to reduce the incentives for other states to step into crisis, by controlling the narrative, understanding the stability parameters of the crises, and trying to manage escalation if conflicts arise.
Report
The chances are growing that the United States will find itself in a crisis in cyberspace. Such crises can be managed by taking steps to reduce the incentives for other states to step into crisis, by controlling the narrative, understanding the stability parameters of the crises, and trying to manage escalation if conflicts arise from crises.
Report
The U.S. Navy requires an agile, adaptable acquisition process that can field new IT capabilities and services quickly. Successful rapid acquisition programs in the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps offer lessons for the Navy as it develops its own streamlined processes for computer network defense and similar program areas.
Report
Documents the U.S. Army's Future Combat Systems program's history, from inception to cancellation, and draws lessons from its experiences.
Journal Article
Recent advances in GPS data processing have demonstrated that ground-based GPS receivers are capable of detecting ionospheric TEC perturbations caused by surface-generated Rayleigh, acoustic and gravity waves.
Report
Explores an area in which the Department of Defense can operate smarter with its proliferating unmanned aircraft systems fleet.
Research Brief
PortMan, RAND's new portfolio analysis and management methodology, provides a means for decisionmakers to find the optimal portfolio of projects, maximizing the probability of filling a desired set of requirements while restraining costs.
Report
This report presents an analysis of historical use of air-to-ground attacks to assess the economic wisdom of relying primarily on expendable weapons, such as cruise missiles.
Commentary
Going forward, it's clear the security plan for the U.S. diplomatic presence abroad must include well-developed strategies to both detect and prevent an assault like the one in Libya before it occurs, writes William Young.
Report
Effective ''cradle-to-grave'' management of weapon and materiel systems requires ongoing assessment of life cycle sustainment data -- information about the operation, support, and disposal of Army equipment -- available in Standard Army Management Information Systems.
Report
A congressionally mandated review of the proposed restructuring of Air Force Materiel Command examined the proposal and its effect on life-cycle management, weapon system sustainment, and overall support to the warfighter.
Report
This briefing describes a suite of tools to help the Air Force think through future roles for remotely piloted aircraft.
Report
Examines contracting alternatives for the full deployment phase of the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services system, intended to give the U.S. Navy a common set of key command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence networks.
Report
Expands and applies RAND's portfolio analysis and management (PortMan) method to address the problem of selecting U.S. Army engineering and manufacturing development projects to develop affordable systems in the face of cost and budget uncertainties.
Report
The authors propose a planning concept for U.S. military expeditionary medical care that promotes patient flow rate as the common unit of measurement for treatment and evacuation functions.
Report
Provides recommendations on how the Army can get the best long-term value from its investments in basic research.
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