Download
Download eBook for Free
| Format | File Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PDF file | 2.7 MB | Use Adobe Acrobat Reader version 10 or higher for the best experience. |
Purchase
Purchase Print Copy
| Format | List Price | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Add to Cart | Paperback508 pages | $30.00 | $24.00 20% Web Discount |
Change — in international relations, in technology, and in society as a whole — has become the idiom of our age. One example of these changes has been an increasing recognition of the value of air and space assets for handling nearly every contingency from disaster relief to war and, consequently, increasing demand for such assets. These developments have created both challenges and opportunities for the U.S. Air Force. This, the fourth volume in the Strategic Appraisal series, 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.Contributors examine the changing roles of air and space forces in U.S.national security strategy, the implications of new systems and technologies for military operations, and the role of nuclear weapons in U.S. security strategy. Contributors also discuss the status of major modernization efforts within the Air Force, and the bill of health of the Air Force, as measured by its readiness to undertake its missions both today and in the future.
Table of Contents
Preface
Figures
Tables
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
Chapter One
Introduction: The Price of Success
Part I
The Geopolitical Context for Aerospace Power
Chapter Two
Forces for What? Geopolitical Context and Air Force Capabilities
Chapter Three
The Future of U.S. Coercive Airpower
Part II
Where Does the USAF Need to Go?
Chapter Four
Modernizing the Combat Forces: Near-Term Options
Chapter Five
Space Challenges
Chapter Six
U.S. Military Opportunities: Information-Warfare Concepts of Operation
Chapter Seven
Nuclear Weapons and U.S. National Security Strategy for a New Century
Chapter Eight
Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction and Ballistic Missiles
Part III
Supporting Future Forces
Chapter Nine
Providing Adequate Access for Expeditionary Aerospace Forces
Chapter Ten
A Vision for an Evolving Agile Combat Support System
Chapter Eleven
Strategic Sourcing in the Air Force
Chapter Twelve
Ready for War but Not for Peace: The Apparent Paradox of Military Preparedness
Research conducted by
The research described in this report was performed under the auspices of RAND's Project AIR FORCE.
This report is part of the RAND Corporation Monograph report series. The monograph/report was a product of the RAND Corporation from 1993 to 2003. RAND monograph/reports presented major research findings that addressed the challenges facing the public and private sectors. They included executive summaries, technical documentation, and synthesis pieces.
Permission is given to duplicate this electronic document for personal use only, as long as it is unaltered and complete. Copies may not be duplicated for commercial purposes. Unauthorized posting of RAND PDFs to a non-RAND Web site is prohibited. RAND PDFs are protected under copyright law. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please visit the RAND Permissions page.
The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND's publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors.