United States Air Force

Capacity Building
commentary
Protecting the U.S. Supply on Heavy Lift Launch Vehicles
Bonnie L. Triezenberg
May 6, 2020
The RAND Blog
Our recent RAND report on the global heavy lift launch market highlights the potential for a near term shortage of launch vehicles needed to lift U.S. defense and intelligence satellites to orbit. These satellites are the eyes, ears, networks and timekeepers of U.S. armed services, and an inability to launch them in times of need could compromise national security.
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The Internet
blog
Cryptocurrency, Russian Social Media, Congestion Pricing: RAND Weekly Recap
Mar 29, 2019
This weekly recap focuses on cryptocurrencies, Russian social media influence, congestion pricing, and more.
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Gender Integration in the Military
commentary
The U.S. Air Force Is Working Harder to Retain Female Officers, and Here's How
Miriam Matthews
Aug 6, 2018
Dallas Morning News
Women are underrepresented among the U.S. Air Force's senior leadership. This could be robbing the service of the potential to improve innovation, agility, and performance. The Air Force is working to address diversity in the service, and it continues to work to improve representation of women within its ranks.
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commentary
Improving the Effectiveness of Air Force Squadron Commanders
John A. Ausink, Miriam Matthews
May 23, 2018
Homeland Security Today
U.S. Air Force commanders around the world understand their responsibilities. But they believe that many unrecognized duties interfere with mission performance. They are generally prepared by professional education and career progression to fulfill their responsibilities, but they could use more instruction on how to command.
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Decisionmaking
blog
Exploring Trust, Leadership, and 'Analytic Courage'
Nov 15, 2017
Leaders in business, government, academia, and philanthropy gathered at RAND's headquarters in Santa Monica to pay tribute to the seven-decade relationship between RAND and the U.S. Air Force. Panelists discussed the importance of trusted advice to inform national security descisonmaking.
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Military Strategy
commentary
Five Simple Strategy Lessons for a New Secretary of Defense
Raphael S. Cohen
Mar 2, 2017
RealClearDefense
Secretary of Defense James Mattis will need to lay the intellectual groundwork to fulfill President Trump's promise of “a great rebuilding” of the United States military. History suggests that how the strategies are developed may be as important to their success as what they say.
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Military Acquisition and Procurement
commentary
Inside the Fish Bowl: High Stakes Acquisition Protests
Edward R. Harshberger, Obaid Younossi, Laura H. Baldwin @LauraHBaldwin, Frank Camm
Dec 3, 2015
Defense News
The Boeing-Lockheed Martin team filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office asserting that the U.S. Air Force's selection of Northrop Grumman to build the Long Range Strike-Bomber was fundamentally flawed. Work on the program, valued at approximately $80 billion, is now paused.
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Military Acquisition and Procurement
commentary
Lessons from the Past for the Future of the KC-46A
Laura H. Baldwin @LauraHBaldwin, Mark A. Lorell, Obaid Younossi
Sep 16, 2015
Breaking Defense
Analysis suggests that fixed-price contracts have not successfully reduced costs to the DoD associated with developing complex weapon systems. This has implications for the Air Force, given the importance of the ongoing KC-46A program.
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Military Budgets and Defense Spending
commentary
Peacetime Fuel 'Tankering' Could Save $25 Million Per Year
Christopher A. Mouton
May 4, 2015
The RAND Blog
Fuel tankering involves carrying excess fuel on an aircraft when flying from origins where fuel is less expensive than at the destination. Tankering fuel to a conflict zone such as Afghanistan is almost always cost-effective, but the story is more complex in other regions because of the way fuel is purchased and resold within the DoD itself.
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Fighter Aircraft
commentary
Where Commonality Can Work in a Sixth-Gen Fighter
Mark A. Lorell
Mar 13, 2015
Aviation Week & Space Technology
The DoD plans to fund a Darpa-Air Force-Navy technology demonstration program aimed at developing critical sixth-generation fighter capabilities. It's a sign that the Pentagon is adopting a cost-effective strategy but it will need to remain vigilant to avoid the pitfalls that have caused previous joint fighter programs to fall short of hoped-for cost savings and to accept unwelcome design compromises.
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Workforce Diversity
commentary
The Realities of Silicon Valley's Lack of Workforce Diversity
Lawrence M. Hanser, Nelson Lim
Oct 2, 2014
San Francisco Chronicle
Major Silicon Valley tech firms have released statistics indicating their workforces are largely made up of white men. Corporate America is on the receiving end of a complex chain of social and educational factors that continue to leave minorities behind in terms of college graduation, and both minorities and women behind in terms of STEM degrees.
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commentary
Should the U.S. Rely on Russian Rocket Engines?
Jul 16, 2014
The RAND Blog
One of the two launch vehicles that lift U.S. satellites into orbit depends on a rocket engine made by a company located in Russia. Russia's recent clashes with Ukraine and its claims on the Crimean peninsula have caused friction with the United States and thereby raised questions among U.S. policymakers about the potential for an interruption in the supply of the engines.
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Military Force Planning
commentary
Don't Chop the Air Force — Look to the Reserves
Janine Davidson, Margaret C. Harrell
Apr 11, 2014
The Hill
The Air Force's latest budget plan proposes to cut 25,000 airmen. The recommendations made by the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force (NCSAF) offer an alternative — and less risky — way forward.
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blog
Conaton Named Head of International Security and Defense Policy Center at RAND
Apr 1, 2014
Erin C. Conaton joined RAND this week as director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center. She has 15 years of experience in defense policy, programs and budgeting; military strategy; and military personnel policy and readiness.
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Fighter Aircraft
commentary
Do Joint Fighter Programs Save Money?
Mark A. Lorell
Dec 24, 2013
The RAND Blog
Joint aircraft programs have not historically saved overall life cycle cost. On average, such programs experienced substantially higher cost growth in acquisition (research, development, test, evaluation, and procurement) than single-service programs.
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United States Air Force
commentary
Innovation and America's 21st Century Air Force
Paula G. Thornhill
Nov 26, 2013
Defense News
Lost in the US defense budget debates are deeper issues about the relationship between the military and American society. In many ways, these issues are especially stark for the Air Force. Can the US Air Force improve this connection?
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United States Air Force
blog
U.S. Air Force Academy Presents Natalie Crawford with Thomas D. White National Defense Award
Nov 19, 2013
RAND Senior Fellow Natalie Crawford received the U.S. Air Force Academy's 2012 Thomas D. White National Defense Award for her significant contributions to national security. Previous award winners include the Air Force's first chief of staff, General Carl Spaatz, and actor Bob Hope.
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United States Air Force
announcement
Natalie Crawford Honored with the Thomas D. White National Defense Award
Feb 12, 2013
The United States Air Force Academy has selected Senior Fellow Natalie Crawford as this year's recipient of the Thomas D. White National Defense Award, citing her long-term support of the Academy and her instrumental role in establishing an important and enduring relationship between RAND and the Academy.
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United States Air Force
blog
A Cybercrisis Is Inevitable — and Manageable
Martin C. Libicki
Jan 9, 2013
The United States can manage a cybercrisis by taking steps to reduce the incentives for other states to step into crisis, by controlling the narrative, understanding the stability parameters of the crises, and trying to manage escalation if conflicts arise.
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United States Air Force

Protecting the U.S. Supply on Heavy Lift Launch Vehicles

Cryptocurrency, Russian Social Media, Congestion Pricing: RAND Weekly Recap

The U.S. Air Force Is Working Harder to Retain Female Officers, and Here's How

Improving the Effectiveness of Air Force Squadron Commanders

Exploring Trust, Leadership, and 'Analytic Courage'

Five Simple Strategy Lessons for a New Secretary of Defense

Inside the Fish Bowl: High Stakes Acquisition Protests

Lessons from the Past for the Future of the KC-46A

Peacetime Fuel 'Tankering' Could Save $25 Million Per Year

Where Commonality Can Work in a Sixth-Gen Fighter

The Realities of Silicon Valley's Lack of Workforce Diversity

Should the U.S. Rely on Russian Rocket Engines?

Don't Chop the Air Force — Look to the Reserves

Conaton Named Head of International Security and Defense Policy Center at RAND

Do Joint Fighter Programs Save Money?

Innovation and America's 21st Century Air Force

U.S. Air Force Academy Presents Natalie Crawford with Thomas D. White National Defense Award

Natalie Crawford Honored with the Thomas D. White National Defense Award

A Cybercrisis Is Inevitable — and Manageable

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