Military Equipment

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'Israel's 9/11,' Promoting the 988 Hotline, the Future of Space: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on why the Oct. 7 attack wasn't Israel's 9/11, humanity's future approach to space, the pressing need to ensure more people know about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and more.

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Chinese Strategists Evaluate the Use of 'Kamikaze' Drones in the Russia-Ukraine War

Chinese strategists are watching drone and loitering munition use closely in the Ukraine War, suggesting that they are likely already considering how to refine offensive tactics and improve defensive countermeasures. They are clearly thinking about this question in the context of a Taiwan scenario.

Lyle Goldstein, Nathan Waechter

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AUKUS as Big Science?

AUKUS—the trilateral security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—framed as a multinational quest for discovery rather than a security pact made sensible by deterrence logics, could be a political boon, both diplomatically and domestically.

Marigold Black

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What North Korea Is Learning from the Hamas-Israel War

South Korea and the United States should rein in North Korean nuclear weapon production and prepare to respond to escalated North Korean coercion. While Kim Jong-un probably won't resort to a Hamas-style attack, he certainly shares Hamas' goal of cultivating U.S. reluctance to get involved militarily in the region.

Bruce W. Bennett @bwbennett

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Encouraging Consistency in National Security Transparency

The United States remains the leader in space in both national security and commercial capabilities. Greater transparency about existing on-orbit systems that are already detected by many is an important next step that could bolster U.S. credibility while also aiding deterrence.

Bruce McClintock @BHMcClintock

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Israel-Hamas War, Overdose Deaths, Striking Health Care Workers: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on historical context for the Israel-Hamas war, the link between education and fatal overdoses, why U.S. health care workers are striking, and more.

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Nuclear Weapons in the North Korean World View

As Kim Jong-un's actions become more threatening, the risks of a catastrophic accidental nuclear war become more likely. The United States needs to make North Korean denuclearization a long-term objective but focus in the immediate future on limiting the size and danger of the North Korean nuclear weapon force.

Bruce W. Bennett @bwbennett

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Nuclear Deterrence, Russia and Iran, Deepfakes: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how much is “enough” for U.S. nuclear forces, the budding Russia-Iran partnership, the challenge of detecting deepfakes, and more.

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F-16s Are No Magic Bullet for Ukraine, but They Are a Game Changer with the Right Munitions

Will F-16s win the war for Ukraine? No. Only ground victories and unacceptable Russian losses will force Putin to negotiate. However, a long-term commitment to supporting a well-equipped, sizable F-16 force will improve the likelihood of Ukrainian success even if an F-16 never shoots a Russian fighter.

Michael Bohnert @mbohnert

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North Korea and China Aren't the Allies You Think They Are

China and North Korea have a history of friction, despite being seen as allies. As Russia, China, and North Korea move toward a closer trilateral partnership, the United States and its allies need to recognize that there are seams in the relationships that can be used to undermine it.

Bruce W. Bennett @bwbennett

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Landmines in Ukraine: Lessons for China and Taiwan

In shaping patterns of future warfare, militaries across the world will be seeking to absorb the key lessons of the Russia-Ukraine War. Chinese strategists are particularly attuned to the major role that landmines have played in the conflict.

Lyle Goldstein, Nathan Waechter

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Why Improve Ukraine's Deep-Strike Capability?

Coordinated deep-strike capabilities—air-launched and ground-launched—will be most effective in degrading Russian forces and operations. Using air and ground launchers would force Russian commanders to devote substantial intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities to attempt to find these systems.

John Hoehn, Hunter Stoll, et al.

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North Korea, Russia and China: The Developing Trilateral Imperialist Partnership

There are no easy ways for the United States and its allies to counter the developing Russia-China–North Korea partnership. But there are options to consider and steps to take. There are also fissures in their relationships to exploit.

Bruce W. Bennett @bwbennett

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Airmen Out-Paced

As it stands now, airmen are being asked to pick up the pieces when communications networks and chains of command break. Mission command could be the means to succeed in the future, but only after the USAF does the hard work now to make organizational changes and define a viable construct to guide their efforts.

Michael J. Lostumbo

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The State of Public Education, the Opioid Crisis, Defending Taiwan: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the state of public education in America right now, a missing piece of the strategy for addressing the opioid crisis, emerging technology that could help defend Taiwan, and more.