RAND Army Research Division

Latest Research

Strategic Planning Tools for the Army Senior ROTC Program

May 5, 2017

Researchers created a program evaluation tool and a selection evaluation tool to help the Army evaluate existing ROTC programs and explore new market opportunities, keep up with changes in the college student population, and meet both near-term officer production goals as well as longer-term strategic objectives.
The Evolution of U.S. Military Policy from the Constitution to the Present

May 4, 2017

Is there a "traditional" U.S. military policy? A detailed history explains that the current foundational laws for the Army were not an inevitable interpretation of the "raise and support armies" or "militia" clauses of the Constitution, but the result of gradual changes to statutory law.
Defining an Approach for Future Close Air Support Capability

Jan 30, 2017

Close air support (CAS) is about providing airborne firepower for troops on the ground. The Army has relied on Air Force A-10s to supply CAS for some time, but the Air Force now plans to retire the aircraft. What are the consequences for the Army, and what alternatives can it pursue?

Reimagining and Modernizing U.S. Airborne Forces for the 21st Century

Apr 20, 2016

Many of the challenges the U.S. will face in the coming years across the range of military operations could be deep inland and require rapid response. Airborne forcible entry — with reimagined and modernized airborne forces — would offer decisionmakers options in crises that they do not possess today.
A New Kind of Battlefield Awaits the U.S. Military — Megacities

Apr 6, 2016

Megacities are urban areas that seep into one another and have more than 10 million inhabitants. To counter violent non-state actors operating in megacities in the future, the U.S. military will have to be able to piece together a comprehensive and actionable intelligence picture, and under enormously challenging circumstances.
The Online Fight Against ISIS

Apr 1, 2016

To prevail against ISIS in cyberspace, the United States and its cyber soldiers will have to be capable of reacting quickly, while being guided by an overarching strategy. Secretary of Defense Carter urged U.S. Cyber Command to intensify the fight against ISIS but it would also be wise to recruit civilian volunteers.