National Security

RAND conducts a broad array of national security research for the U.S. Department of Defense and allied ministries of defense. RAND's three U.S. federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) explore topics from acquisition and technology to personnel and readiness.

Research conducted by: RAND Arroyo Center; RAND National Security Research Division; RAND Project AIR FORCE; RAND Europe; Homeland Security and Defense Center; Center for Military Health Policy Research; Invisible Wounds of War Project; Center for Global Risk and Security

All Items (3682)

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Challenges Facing U. S. Government and Department of Defense Efforts in Strategic Communication — Jun 1, 2012

This article enumerates challenges facing efforts to inform, influence, and persuade in pursuit of national policy objectives first for the U.S. government in general, and then specific to the Department of Defense.

REPORT

The Extent of Restrictions on the Service of Active-Component Military Women — May 21, 2012

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 mandated a review of gender-based assignment restrictions. To support this effort, RAND researchers analyzed service data to describe and quantify the military occupations that are closed to women, as well as occupations that are open with some positions that are closed.

REPORT

Military Veterans' Experiences in For-Profit Higher Education — May 16, 2012

Veterans choose for-profit colleges because their tuition rates are set to match allowable GI Bill benefits; they have adult-oriented, career-focused programs with flexible schedules; they accept military transcripts; courses are available when needed; and students can attend the same institution in multiple states if they relocate.

COMMENTARY

NATO's Shrinking Resources — 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.

PERIODICAL

RAND Review: Vol. 36, No. 1, Spring 2012 — May 11, 2012

Stories discuss Iran's nuclear threat, social security for Mexico's aging population, programs to help veterans and their families, the costs of crime and the value of police officers, psychological operations in Afghanistan, the U.S. health insurance mandate, legal representation in murder cases, marijuana legalization, U.S. competitiveness in educational achievement, and Louisiana's plan for a sustainable coast.

PERIODICAL

Calls of Duty: America Weighs Its Obligations to Veterans and Their Families — May 11, 2012

Ten RAND authors highlight seven ways in which the United States can help to ensure that veterans and their families receive health care, employment and education opportunities, and other benefits.

PERIODICAL

How to Defuse Iran's Nuclear Threat: Bolster Diplomacy, Israeli Security, and the Iranian Citizenry — May 11, 2012

This RAND Review 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.

PERIODICAL

Prolific Profanities Seemed to Predict Prominent Protests — May 11, 2012

Twitter and other social media reportedly played a big role in the protests following the 2009 Iranian presidential election. Analysis of word usage in millions of tweets about the election and its aftermath reveals that spikes in the use of swear words could forecast the outbreak of large-scale protests.

REPORT

Funding Ammunition Ports — May 9, 2012

The U.S. Army's two ammunition ports — Military Ocean Terminal Concord (MOTCO) and Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point (MOTSU) — have different funding approaches; a central question in this research is what the most appropriate financial structure should be. To help answer this question, the authors develop two variations of an ammunition port funding policy, both featuring customers paying marginal costs for port services.

REPORT

Toward Affordable Systems III: Portfolio Management for Army Engineering and Manufacturing Development Programs — May 8, 2012

Together this and two companion monographs demonstrate a method, model, and simulation that the U.S. Army can use to analyze and manage portfolios at any stage of the research and development process. This monograph expands and applies RAND's portfolio analysis and management (PortMan) method to address the problem of selecting Army engineering and manufacturing development projects in order to develop affordable systems.

MULTIMEDIA

Information Sharing for Cyber-Security: Evidence from Europe — May 7, 2012

In this May 2012 Congressional Briefing, Neil Robinson presented evidence from empirical studies conducted in Europe regarding cyber-security and information exchange, specifically between organizations such as information sharing and analysis centers, computer emergency response teams, and cyber-crime police.

COMMENTARY

The Next War — May 3, 2012

To prepare for the interventions to come in the next decade, the United States must adapt the lessons from its experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan and use them to generate a new, more realistic, and feasible doctrine, write Radha Iyengar and Douglas A. Ollivant.

NEWS RELEASE

New Counterinsurgency Assessment Methods Are Needed to Better Inform Policymakers — May 3, 2012

The U.S. Department of Defense will receive more detailed, transparent and credible assessments of its counterinsurgency campaigns by replacing its top-down approach with a bottom-up method driven by contextual, narrative reporting provided by commanders on the ground.

REPORT

New Counterinsurgency Assessment Methods Are Needed to Better Inform Policymakers — May 3, 2012

The U.S. Department of Defense will receive more detailed, transparent, and credible assessments of its counterinsurgency campaigns by replacing its top-down approach with a bottom-up method driven by contextual, narrative reporting provided by commanders on the ground.

REPORT

The Nature of the Chinese-Iranian Partnership and the Challenges It Poses for the U.S. — May 2, 2012

The partnership between China and Iran presents challenges to U.S. interests, including dissuading Iran from developing a nuclear weapons capability. An analysis of the factors driving Chinese-Iranian cooperation offers policy options for influencing this partnership to meet U.S. objectives.

COMMENTARY

Is the War on Terror Over? Not Yet. — Apr 30, 2012

Over time, al Qaeda could just fade away. Always resilient, it may morph to survive. Developments on any of several fronts might even enable it to rise again. In a long contest, surprises must be expected, writes Brian Michael Jenkins.

REPORT

U.S. Military's Efforts to Influence Afghan Population Have Grown Less Effective Over Time — Apr 30, 2012

An analysis of U.S. military information operations and psychological operations in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2010 finds the efforts grew less successful over time, as disenchantment with foreign occupation grew. The most notable shortcoming was the inability to sufficiently counter the Taliban propaganda campaign against U.S. and coalition forces on the theme of civilian casualties.

RESEARCH BRIEF

Assessing Military Information Operations in Afghanistan, 2001-2010 — Apr 30, 2012

This research brief offers an overview of the effectiveness of U.S. psychological operations in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2010, with particular attention to how well messages and themes were tailored to target audiences.

NEWS RELEASE

U.S. Military's Efforts to Influence Afghan Population Have Grown Less Effective Over Time — Apr 30, 2012

The efforts of U.S. military information operations and psychological operations in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2010 grew less successful over time, as disenchantment with foreign occupation grew.

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