Irina A. Chindea

Russia's Strategy in the Black Sea: How NATO Can Up Its Game

In March 2019, RAND brought together a group of security experts to discuss Russia's strategy in the Black Sea region, and what Western countries can do to protect common interests and counter Moscow's malign influence there.

Report

Report on the Arctic Capabilities of the U.S. Armed Forces

This report summarizes the findings of research on U.S. and other armed forces' capabilities in the Arctic, the extent to which non-U.S. entities are operating where U.S. forces cannot, and how those operations might affect U.S. national interests.

Report

Air Force Readiness Assessment: How Training Infrastructure Can Provide Better Information for Decisionmaking

Investments in U.S. Air Force training infrastructure to improve readiness assessment can better inform decisions amid changing environments, an increased pace of warfare, and the potential loss of superiority. 

Research Brief

How Training Infrastructure Can Improve Assessments of Air Force Readiness

This brief summarizes research on how investments in U.S. Air Force training infrastructure to improve readiness assessment can better inform decisions amid changing environments, an increased pace of warfare, and the potential loss of superiority. 

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Anticipating Flashpoints with Russia: Patterns and Drivers

The authors combined quantitative and qualitative modes of analysis to better understand and anticipate flashpoints with Russia.

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Creating Readiness Metrics for the Army Civilian Workforce: A Way Ahead for Integrating Readiness into Civilian Workforce Planning

The authors develop a definition of and model for measuring civilian workforce readiness to inform Army policies and practices using qualitative methods, with which they identify potential data sources for readiness metrics.

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Great-Power Competition and Conflict in Latin America

This report explores the potential for competition and conflict among the United States, China, and Russia in Latin America; where competition might turn into conflict; what form that conflict might take; and the implications for the United States.

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Great-Power Competition and Conflict in the Middle East

This report explores the potential for competition among the United States, China, and Russia in the Middle East; where and why competition might turn into conflict; what form that conflict might take; and the implications for the United States.

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Countering Violent Nonstate Actor Financing: Revenue Sources, Financing Strategies, and Tools of Disruption

Disrupting the financing that violent nonstate actors require is critical for degrading such groups. This report examines the methods used to disrupt this financing and how the Army can contribute to the effort.

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Great-Power Competition and Conflict in the 21st Century Outside the Indo-Pacific and Europe

This report explores where the United States, China, and Russia may be competing for influence in secondary theaters; where and why competition might turn to conflict; what form that conflict might take; and implications for the United States.

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China's Strategy and Activities in the Arctic: Implications for North American and Transatlantic Security

This report assesses China's strategy and diplomacy in the Arctic and the potential implications of Chinese investments and activities there for the rules-based order and for regional and transatlantic security.

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China's Role in the Global Development of Critical Resources: Case Studies in Coal Power, Electricity Transmission, and Seabed Mining

China's foreign investment and financing activities over the past two decades have garnered substantial attention and raised concerns. This report explores Chinese investment and financing activities in energy infrastructure and critical minerals.

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Understanding and Reducing the Ability of Violent Nonstate Actors to Adapt to Change

This report summarizes research into how violent nonstate actors adapt to changes in their operational environments and provides recommendations on how the Army might anticipate such adaptations and mitigate them before they occur.

Report

An Overview of the Effectiveness of U.S. Counternarcotics Efforts in Colombia, 2000–Present, and Recommendations for the Future

The authors of this report examine the period in Colombia from 2000 to 2020 to assess the effectiveness of U.S. counternarcotics and security efforts: eradication of coca, interdiction of cocaine, security and rule of law, and development.

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Stabilizing Great-Power Rivalries

Leveraging theory and historical cases, the authors identify the factors that keep great-power rivalries stable and those that lead to conflictual outcomes and use that framework to assess the current U.S.-Russia and U.S.-China competitions.

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Championing the Agile Air Force Officer Career: Examining the Potential Use of New Career Management Flexibilities

The 2019 National Defense Authorization Act introduced new options for officer career management for the military services. Researchers examine the potential utility of five of the new flexibilities for improving the management of Air Force officers.

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Department of the Air Force Civilian Compensation and Benefits: How Five Mission Critical and Hard-to-Fill Occupations Compare to the Private Sector and Key Federal Agencies

The authors examine U.S. Air Force civilian compensation for hard-to-fill and mission critical occupations, comparing it with other federal agencies and the private sector and providing recommendations for recruiting and retaining civilian talent.

Report

An Evaluation of Task Force True North Initiatives for the Promotion of Resilience and Well-Being Within the Air Force

Researchers conducted a thematic analysis of data collected on the U.S. Air Force's Task Force True North (TFTN) initiatives and identified key findings related to each initiative and to TFTN as a whole.

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Russia, NATO, and Black Sea Security

Russia has long used political, military, economic, informational, and clandestine tools against countries in the Black Sea region. In this report, the authors present elements of a Western strategy to counter Russian malign influence and aggression.

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Optimizing the Contributions of Air Force Civilian STEM Workforce

RAND researchers reviewed existing academic and professional literature to gain insights into how organizations such as the Air Force should manage, support, and organize their civilian STEM workforce to best leverage talent and maximize performance.

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Russia, NATO, and Black Sea Security Strategy: Regional Perspectives from a 2019 Workshop

The authors report workshop discussions of four topics related to the strategic context in the Black Sea: Russia's strategy in the region; Russian military and soft-power instruments; Western goals and interests; and elements of Western strategy.