David Ochmanek

Overview

Commentary

• 

  Reshaping U.S. Military Forces: Getting the Process Right

  War gaming and analysis show that American forces face serious operational challenges. What steps could be taken to ensure the United States can defeat aggression by its greatest adversaries?

  Jul 20, 2018 Defense News

• 

  A 'Glass Half-Full': Next Steps for Enhancing Deterrence on NATO's Eastern Flank

  The United States and key allies have taken steps toward redressing the imbalance in military power between NATO and Russia in Northeastern Europe. But NATO's defense planners must be clear-eyed about what remains to be done.

  Feb 12, 2018 The RAND Blog

• 

  In Defense of a Wargame: Bolstering Deterrence on NATO's Eastern Flank

  A series of wargames examined the potential results of a Russian invasion of the Baltic states. While such an invasion appears unlikely, its consequences would be so dangerous that not taking steps to deter it more robustly would be imprudent.

  Jun 14, 2016 War on the Rocks

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  If We Keep Cutting Defense Spending, We Must Do Less

  The United States is underinvesting in defense and other instruments of national influence just when they are most needed. Improving defenses needn't require Cold War levels of expenditure but Americans should look realistically at the demands being placed on their forces and generate the revenues to meet those demands.

  Oct 19, 2015 Newsweek

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  Advice for Defense Innovators

  If the U.S. is to retain its status as the security partner of choice for many of the world's most important states, and help sustain peace and stability in regions critical to our own security, future U.S. forces must be far more capable.

  Jan 12, 2015 Defense News

• Blog

  Real Roles, Missions Debate

  The United States can and should move beyond a "one size fits all" approach to sizing military forces toward a construct that shapes each service for the types of operations it is actually expected to conduct in the future, write Andrew Hoehn and David Ochmanek.

  Apr 7, 2008 Washington Times

• Blog

  Crafting Terror Strategy

  Published commentary by RAND staff: Crafting Terror Strategy, in United Press International.

  Oct 18, 2006 United Press International

Publications

• 

  Report

  U.S. Military Capabilities and Forces for a Dangerous World: Rethinking the U.S. Approach to Force Planning

  This report evaluates the capabilities of current and programmed U.S. forces to meet the demands of future conflicts and recommends alternative forces that appear to be better suited than today's forces to meeting those demands.

  Nov 28, 2018

• Report

  Report

  Restoring U.S. Power Projection Capabilities: Responding to the 2018 National Defense Strategy

  This Perspective can help to inform upcoming decisions to improve U.S. military abilities (which have been eroding vis-à-vis those of China and Russia) to deter aggression and intimidation, assure allies, and influence events in East Asia and Europe.

  Aug 16, 2018

• 

  Report

  Improving Force Development Within the U.S. Department of Defense: Diagnosis and Potential Prescriptions

  In recent wargames depicting conflicts against the nation's most capable adversaries, U.S. forces have failed to achieve their objectives and suffered heavy losses. This Perspective examines how things got to this point and what can be done about it.

  Jul 9, 2018

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  Testimony

  Recommendations for a Future National Defense Strategy

  Testimony presented before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate on November 30, 2017.

  Nov 30, 2017

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  Testimony

  Restoring the Power Projection Capabilities of the U.S. Armed Forces

  Testimony presented before the Senate Armed Services Committee on February 16, 2017.

  Feb 16, 2017

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  Report

  Leveraging the Past to Prepare for the Future of Air Force Intelligence Analysis

  This report describes steps the U.S. Air Force can take to help ensure that it has the capability needed to provide intelligence analysis support to a broad range of service and combatant commander needs.

  Apr 27, 2016

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  Research Brief

  America's Security Deficit: Addressing the Imbalance Between Strategy and Resources in a Turbulent World

  This research brief summarizes the second volume in RAND's Strategic Rethink series, in which RAND experts offer a detailed analysis of U.S. options for defense strategy in the context of a challenging global security environment.

  Oct 19, 2015

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  Report

  America's Security Deficit: Addressing the Imbalance Between Strategy and Resources in a Turbulent World: Strategic Rethink

  Analyzes defense options available to respond to current and emerging threats to U.S. security and interests, focusing on ways to adapt military instruments, defense investments, and defense spending levels commensurate with the interests at stake.

  Oct 19, 2015

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  Report

  Choices for America in a Turbulent World: Strategic Rethink

  Exploring the elements of a national strategy for U.S. foreign policy, the book examines critical global, regional, and other policy issues and decisions likely to confront the next president and senior U.S. officials in 2017 and beyond.

  Jul 23, 2015

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  Report

  Sustaining U.S. Leadership in the Asia-Pacific Region: Why a Strategy of Direct Defense Against Antiaccess and Area Denial Threats Is Desirable and Feasible

  This perspective is intended to contribute to the growing debate over how to respond to recent military advances of potential adversaries by examining a potentially effective and feasible overall military approach to the challenge -- direct defense.

  Feb 23, 2015

• 

  Testimony

  The Role of Maritime and Air Power in DoD's Third Offset Strategy

  Testimony presented before the House Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces on December 2, 2014.

  Dec 2, 2014

• Brochure

  Brochure

  Challenges in U.S. National Security Policy: A Festschrift Honoring Edward L. (Ted) Warner

  Among Ted Warner's many notable accomplishments, perhaps the most important has been the opportunity to mentor a substantial number of exceptionally talented men and women on various aspects of U.S. and Russian defense and arms control policy.

  May 13, 2014

• Report

  Report

  Courses of Action for Enhancing U.S. Air Force "Irregular Warfare" Capabilities: A Functional Solutions Analysis

  Provides a menu of actions for strengthening and expanding the U.S. Air Force's capabilities to take part in joint and interagency efforts in irregular warfare.

  Feb 2, 2010

• Periodical

  Periodical

  RAND Review: Vol. 32, No. 3, Fall 2008

  The cover story offers 12 suggestions for the new U.S. president; other pieces discuss education and health in China and India, health policy models, the U.S. Postal Service mailbox monopoly, a green U.S. Army, and political reform in the Arab world.

  Dec 14, 2008

• Report

  Report

  Thinking About America's Defense: An Analytical Memoir

  Lt Gen Glenn A. Kent offers a personal overview of analyses of dozens of historic national security issues drawn from his Air Force and RAND careers spanning the latter half of the 20th century.

  Sep 29, 2008

• Research Brief

  Research Brief

  Nuclear-Armed Regional Adversaries: How Deterrable Are They Likely to Be?

  This research brief describes a study of nuclear-armed regional adversaries, which suggests that U.S. policymakers and commanders will want to field improved capabilities that can prevent (rather than deter) an enemy's use of nuclear weapons.

  Jul 18, 2008

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  Report

  The Challenge of Nuclear-Armed Regional Adversaries

  Deterring nuclear use by regional adversaries such as North Korea could be problematic in some situations. This book examines the strategic and force planning implications of this shift in the international security environment.

  Mar 10, 2008

• Report

  Report

  A New Division of Labor: Meeting America's Security Challenges Beyond Iraq

  The promotion of democracy and freedom abroad will continue to require changes in how U.S. armed forces are organized and employed and how the services relate to one another and to U.S. allies.

  Apr 8, 2007

• Research Brief

  Research Brief

  America's Security Challenges Require a New Division of Labor Among the Armed Forces

  This research brief assesses the primary challenges to U.S. security in the emerging security environment and offers suggestions for how the U.S. strategy and the defense program should be adjusted in order to meet these challenges.

  Mar 27, 2007

• Report

  Report

  Protecting Commercial Aviation Against the Shoulder-Fired Missile Threat

  Examines the capabilities and costs of onboard technologies to divert or destroy missiles attacking commercial airliners.

  Jan 20, 2005

• Report

  Report

  Military Operations Against Terrorist Groups Abroad: Implications for the United States Air Force

  Outlines a strategy for U.S. military operations against terrorist groups overseas, including the capabilities that air forces will likely be called upon to deliver.

  2003

• Report

  Report

  A Framework for Modernization Within the United States Air Force

  Provides a conceptual framework for promoting innovation and modernization of capabilities

  2003

• Research Brief

  Research Brief

  Counterterrorist Operations Abroad: Estimating Future Demands on the U.S. Air Force

  2003

• Research Brief

  Research Brief

  Promoting Innovation and Modernization Within the Air Force

  Developed a framework for force modernization that can be used to promote innovation by focusing concept development efforts on key challenges and lending increased coherence to the Air Force's advocacy efforts.

  2003

• Report

  Report

  Strategic Appraisal: United States Air and Space Power in the 21st Century

  This report draws on the expertise of researchers from across RAND to explore both the challenges and opportunities that the U.S. Air Force faces as it strives to support the nation's interests in a challenging technological and security environment.

  2002

• Report

  Report

  NATO's Future: Implications for U.S. Military Capabilities and Posture

  NATO's Future: Implications for U.S. Military Capabilities and Posture

  2000

• Report

  Report

  Strategic Appraisal: The Changing Role of Information in Warfare

  This report draws on the expertise of researchers from across RAND to explore the opportunities and vulnerabilities inherent in the increasing reliance on information technology, looking both at its usefulness to the warrior and the need to protect its usefulness for everyone.

  1999

• Report

  Report

  To Find, and Not to Yield: How Advances in Information and Firepower Can Transform Theater Warfare

  Absent significant changes in U.S. defense investment priorities, American forces could soon find themselves unable to cope with some emerging challenges in large-scale power projection operations.

  1998

• Report

  Report

  Defining the Role of Airpower in Joint Missions

  Defining the Role of Airpower in Joint Missions

  1998

• Research Brief

  Research Brief

  How Advances in Information and Firepower Can Transform Warfare

  Investigated the potential of new concepts for destroying moving mechanized forces. These new concepts incorporate advanced munitions with systems for theaterwide surveillance and control.

  1998

• Report

  Report

  Strategic Appraisal 1997: Strategy and Defense Planning for the 21st Century

  This publication brings together the views of several experts in both the process and substance of defense planning.

  1997

• Research Brief

  Research Brief

  U.S. Security Needs for the 21st Century

  Suggests embarking on a fundamental assessment of U.S. strategy and defense planning--one that takes full advantage of emerging capabilities and exploits technological, organizational, and operational innovations to make a smaller force more capable.

  1997

• Report

  Report

  The New Calculus: Analyzing Airpower’s Changing Role in Joint Theater Campaigns

  This report focuses on means of improving airpower's capabilities in the context of joint operations in future major regional conflicts.

  1993

• Report

  Report

  Overhauling the alliance: getting back to basics

  This paper describes threats to allied security that may persist at least through the 1990s. It emphasizes that currently fashionable talk about a new "European pillar" to the alliance will not help meet these challenges. Two types of threats persist...

  1991

• Report

  Report

  Toward a Stable Transition in Europe: A Conservative/Activist Strategy for the United States

  At a time of extraordinary change and uncertainty in European affairs, this analysis urges a conservative/activist strategy for a stable transition to a new Europe.

  1990

• Report

  Report

  1986, the year in arms control

  The year 1986 was a very active and potentially significant one for arms control. Stockholm agreements were a limited but useful step toward regulating Warsaw Pact and NATO forces. The United States and the Soviet Union met at Reykjavik and worked o...

  1987

• Report

  Report

  SDI and/or arms control

  This paper suggests a framework that relates U.S. policies regarding the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) and arms control to fundamental objectives of U.S. security--deterring aggression and limiting damage should deterrence fail. The paper argue...

  1987

Multimedia

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  30:56

  Overcoming the Threats of Our Strategic Competitors

  Mar 27, 2018

• 

  1:34

  In Brief: David Ochmanek on Overcoming the Threats of Our Strategic Competitors

  Mar 27, 2018

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  2:27

  Recommendations for a Future National Defense Strategy

  Nov 30, 2017

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  01:48

  Rethinking Russia's Threat to NATO

  Sep 30, 2016