National Security

RAND conducts a broad array of national security research for the U.S. Department of Defense. RAND also carries out an extensive research program in homeland security, homeland defense, and terrorism-related research for the U.S. Government, as well as selected research for key allied governments and ministries of defense. Through its long-term investment in federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs), the U.S. government has built a network of institutions with unique analytical and technical capabilities.

National security research is conducted by the following RAND FFRDCs: RAND Project AIR FORCE, sponsored by the U.S. Air Force; RAND Arroyo Center, sponsored by the U.S. Army; RAND National Defense Research Institute, sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of Defense; RAND Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center, sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security.

Latest Research

  • China outlined in red on a NASA image of Earth, photo by NASA and RomoloTavani/Getty Images

    China's Quest for Global Primacy

    Jun 7, 2021

    U.S.-China relations have entered a new phase characterized by sharpening competition. Beijing's international and defense strategies aim to outcompete the United States and establish primacy in the Asia-Pacific region and leadership of the world order. What does this mean for U.S. policy?

  • Soldiers from the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in flooded Staines-Upon-Thames, photo by Cpl Richard Cave LBPPA/Crown Copyright CC BY-NC 2.0

    Expert Insights: Crisis Response in a Changing Climate

    Jun 4, 2021

    In this audio conversation, Senior Analyst Lucia Retter is joined by Lieutenant General Richard Nugee, the non-executive director for climate change and sustainability for UK Defence, to discuss a study on the implications of climate change for UK defence logistics in crisis response situations.

  • Australian Army M1 Abrams Tanks with 1st Armored Brigade, assault an enemy position during Exercise Koolendong at Bradshaw Training Area, Aug 21, 2014. Four Marines with 1st Bn., 5th Marines, were given an opportunity to support elements of 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and 1st Armored Brigade. During Exercise Koolendong 2014, approximately 1500 Marines and Australian Defence Force soldiers will undertake a wide spectrum of infantry training activities to include establishing an expeditionary operating base in austere conditions, company-sized helicopter and ground live-fire ranges, photo by Sgt. James Gulliver

    Accelerating the Australian Army's Contest of Ideas

    Jun 2, 2021

    The Australian Army prides itself on its pursuit of an intellectual edge. Is the Australian Army discussing ideas that are original, comparable, complementary, or incompatible to those of its contemporaries?

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks with Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Admiral Vladimir Korolev at the Navy Day parade in St. Petersburg, Russia, July 30, 2017, photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko/Reuters

    A Compendium of Recommendations for Countering Russian and Other State-Sponsored Propaganda

    Jun 1, 2021

    To help make sense of the large array of counterdisinformation recommendations, a RAND report coded recommendations in 64 other policy reports into such categories as social media platform policies, U.S. and allied government policies, awareness and education recommendations, and recommendations for supporting various media and media content.

  • A formation of U.S. Army soldiers with III Corps and Fort Hood honor the American flag as they lower it during the Retreat ceremony, March 27, 2014, photo by U.S. Army

    The Risk of Sexual Assault to Sexual Minorities in the U.S. Military

    Jun 1, 2021

    Service members who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, or who did not indicate that they identify as heterosexual, represented only 12 percent of the active component population in 2018. But they accounted for about 43 percent of all sexually assaulted service members that year.

National Security News