Jeffrey Engstrom

Senior Political Scientist; Professor, Pardee RAND Graduate School

Washington Office

Education

Ph.D. in public policy, George Mason University; M.P.P. in public policy, University of Chicago; B.A. in political science and international studies, University of Nebraska

One Page Bio

Overview

Jeffrey Engstrom is a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation. His research focuses on Asia-Pacific security and foreign policy issues; China’s warfighting concepts and capabilities; coercion theory and use of coercive military force; and military intervention and security cooperation.

Before joining RAND, Engstrom was a defense policy analyst at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) in McLean, Virginia, where, in addition to researching East Asian military capabilities, he also developed expertise in war gaming. Prior to his work at SAIC, Engstrom served as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

Engstrom received his B.A. in political science and international studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, a M.P.P. from the University of Chicago, and a Ph.D. in public policy from George Mason University.

Research Focus

Selected Publications

Jeffrey Engstrom, Systems Confrontation and System Destruction Warfare: How the Chinese People's Liberation Army Seeks to Wage Modern Warfare, RAND Corporation (RR-1708), 2018

Michael S. Chase, Jeffrey Engstrom, et al., China's Incomplete Military Transformation: Assessing the Weaknesses of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), RAND Corporation (RR-893), 2015

Jeffrey Engstrom, "Taking Disaster Seriously: East Asian Military Responses to International Disaster Relief and the Implications for Force Projection," Asian Security, 9(1), 2013

Jeffrey Engstrom, "PLA's Growing Force Projection Capabilities," China Brief, 10(25), 2010

Honors & Awards

2020 Silver Medal Award, RAND Corporation, Office of the President
2015 Silver Medal Award, RAND Corporation, Office of the President

Commentary

Military Strategy

China Has Big Plans to Win the Next War It Fights
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) views modern conflict as a confrontation between opposing systems. This systems-thinking has wide ranging implications for how the PLA conceptualizes warfare in the twenty-first century.
Feb 12, 2018
The National Interest
China

Enhancing China's Status as a Great Power
China is investing heavily in its military modernization program as it aims to extend its power in the region as well as globally. How will China's growing ability to project power affect U.S. regional goals?
Aug 1, 2017
The Cipher Brief
Military Transformation

China's Military Reorganization Aims to Tighten Party Control and Strengthen the PLA's Warfighting Capabilities
Xi Jinping's reforms could result in a leaner, more combat-effective PLA that presents a more potent challenge to China's neighbors and to U.S. interests. But even successful reforms will not guarantee victory on the battlefield, and any hypothetical conflict involving the U.S. would carry tremendous risks.
Sep 6, 2016
ChinaFile
Military Transformation

China's Incomplete Military Transformation
Although the People's Liberation Army has made impressive progress over the past 20 years, it still suffers from a number of potentially serious problems. Understanding its weaknesses — particularly what PLA officers themselves see as the most important shortcomings — is just as critical as studying its strengths.
Mar 18, 2015
China Policy Institute Blog

Publications

Report
Gaining Victory in Systems Warfare: China's Perspective on the U.S.-China Military Balance
The authors provide a detailed analysis of the factors and components associated with People's Republic of China leaders' assessments of the Chinese People's Liberation Army's strength and the implications for the U.S.-China military balance.
Mar 1, 2023
Report
Systems Confrontation and System Destruction Warfare: How the Chinese People's Liberation Army Seeks to Wage Modern Warfare
This report reflects an attempt to understand current thinking in the Chinese People's Liberation Army regarding system of systems and systems warfare, as well as current methods of warfighting.
Feb 1, 2018
Report
Smarter Power, Stronger Partners, Volume II: Trends in Force Projection Against Potential Adversaries
This book describes scenarios to test whether the anti-access and area-denial threat to U.S. force projection is growing more severe. They describe plausible U.S. and adversary military actions given current operational capabilities and approaches.
Feb 8, 2017
Research Brief
Chinese Attacks on U.S. Air Bases in Asia: An Assessment of Relative Capabilities, 1996–2017
Discussion about China's military modernization has included little comparative analysis of Chinese and U.S. military capabilities. This brief focuses on improvements to China's ability to disrupt or degrade U.S. operations by attacking air bases.
Sep 14, 2015
Research Brief
Chinese Threats to U.S. Surface Ships: An Assessment of Relative Capabilities, 1996–2017
Discussion about China's military modernization has included little comparative analysis of Chinese and U.S. military capabilities. This brief focuses on improvements to China's ability to target U.S. surface ships, especially aircraft carriers.
Sep 14, 2015
Research Brief
Tallying the U.S.-China Military Scorecard: Relative Capabilities and the Evolving Balance of Power, 1996–2017
Discussion about China's military modernization has focused on new weapon systems, with little comparative analysis of Chinese and U.S. military forces and development. This brief summarizes a RAND Project AIR FORCE study that seeks to fill this gap.
Sep 14, 2015
Research Brief
U.S. and Chinese Air Superiority Capabilities: An Assessment of Relative Advantage, 1996–2017
Discussion about China's military modernization has included little comparative analysis of Chinese and U.S. military capabilities. This brief focuses on improvements to China's ability to contest U.S. air superiority in an Asian conflict.
Sep 14, 2015
Report
The U.S.-China Military Scorecard: Forces, Geography, and the Evolving Balance of Power, 1996–2017
A RAND study analyzed trends in the development of Chinese and U.S. military capabilities in two scenarios (centered on Taiwan and the Spratly Islands) and multiple types of operations from 1996 to 2017.
Sep 14, 2015
Report
China's Incomplete Military Transformation: Assessing the Weaknesses of the People's Liberation Army (PLA)
The PLA is keenly aware of its many weaknesses and is vigorously striving to correct them. Although it is only natural to focus on the PLA's growing capabilities, understanding the PLA's weaknesses -- and its self-assessments -- is no less important.
Feb 13, 2015
Report
Measuring Cooperative Biological Engagement Program (CBEP) Performance: Capacities, Capabilities, and Sustainability Enablers for Biorisk Management and Biosurveillance
This report describes a project to develop a comprehensive evaluation framework for the Cooperative Biological Engagement Program and recommends metrics for assessing and communicating progress toward the program's goals.
Aug 21, 2014
Report
Workforce Planning in the Intelligence Community: A Retrospective
This report chronicles intelligence community efforts over more than half a decade to improve community-wide workforce planning and management. The tools described will help decisionmakers maintain workforce capabilities as budgets decline.
Sep 16, 2013
Report
Lessons from Department of Defense Disaster Relief Efforts in the Asia-Pacific Region
This study analyzes recent humanitarian assistance/disaster response operations in Burma, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Japan, and identifies lessons that can be used to improve the Department of Defense's international disaster relief capabilities.
Jul 31, 2013
Journal Article
Taking Disaster Seriously: East Asian Military Involvement in International Disaster Relief Operations and the Implications for Force Projection
The participation of East Asian militaries (Japan, China, Taiwan, and South Korea) in international disaster relief is a relatively new phenomenon having many implications that will shape the global landscape of the 21st century.
2013
Report
Assessing the U.S. Air Force Unified Engagement Building Partnerships Seminars
Using RAND’s security cooperation framework, RAND assessed the U.S. Air Force’s Building Partnerships Seminars to enhance program objectives and improve cooperation amongst partner-nation air forces.
Sep 27, 2011
Report
Assessing the Effectiveness of the International Counterproliferation Program
Addressing the threat of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction requires interagency and international cooperation. This report demonstrates how one assessment framework can be applied to security cooperation programs.
Sep 12, 2011