One year after Russia's illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine, this article examines the role of non-military levers (e.g., diplomatic, information, economic) in the conflict so far.
As Norway contemplates the priorities for its next Long-Term Defence Plan (LTP), it finds itself in a Europe, a NATO, and a global environment that have all changed markedly since the last iteration of the Plan was released in 2020.
SONAC commissioned RAND Europe to refine their working definition of strategic advantage. The team, which also drew in leading UK academics, used a multimethod research approach involving the development of case studies and expert workshops. The study explored the types of advantage held by different actors, the ways in which these can been gained and/or lost, and the ways in which actors seek to maintain and exploit their advantages in practice.
While there is a growing consensus that the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected countries' economies and may exacerbate socio-political unrest, understanding the dynamics of this process remains challenging. Our research suggests that COVID-19 will significantly increase the risk of civil conflict in African countries. We estimate this effect will, in turn, have negative global economic repercussions via international trade losses.
This Perspective examines the UK Government's ambition to use science and technology (S&T) as a tool of power and an integral part of the national security strategy, as stated in the 2021 Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy. The commentary highlights the authors' reflections on critical enablers for a successful realisation of this ambition, including conceptual, practical and financial levers.
This Perspective provides a brief overview of the core principles of the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy (DSIS) published in March 2021, before reflecting in more detail on two aspects underpinning the Strategy's assumptions: research and development (R&D) and exports. It draws on a body of RAND research on the UK defence industrial base, R&D and technology and provides reflections on areas of emerging challenges for DSIS implementation.
This document provides RAND Europe's submission of evidence in relation to the UK House of Commons Defence Select Committee's Call for Evidence on Defence and Climate Change.
This study examines the opportunities for leveraging workforce diversity to enhance military effectiveness. The study presents a framework to help guide the UK and US Armed Forces in their assessments of links between different kinds of diversity and military effectiveness, outlines six vignettes illustrating the framework in different areas of Defence activity, and discusses key implications and policy options for the UK and US militaries.
As NATO grapples with the future security environment, the Alliance is set to adopt a new Strategic Concept in June 2022. On behalf of NATO's Policy Planning and Human Security Unit, RAND brought together experts from across academia, civil society, government, and think tanks to discuss the current state of human security at NATO and their recommendations and ways forward as the Alliance continues to grapple with these topics in the future.
Space is becoming more contested, competed and congested. This report covers Wilton Park consultations on how to define and promote responsible behaviors in space, ahead of formal United Nations negotiations to try to reduce threats to space security.
RAND was commissioned by the UK Space Agency to conduct a study exploring the variety of possible future uses of space out to 2050 and identifying potential 'game-changers' and the implications for the UK space sector. The research provided a description of how the way we use space will change, who the key space actors will be, and how well-placed the UK is to address these future trends in the space economy.
Spotlight 2021–2022 highlights selected RAND Europe projects that address the important issues of our time. It also features research that is poised to make a difference in the coming year.
This study provides an initial look at the factors influencing the implementation of the Defence Space Strategy to 2030 as well as the unique attributes of the UK space enterprise—including its strengths and weaknesses. The study also includes a decision support tool designed to help decision makers navigate capability management choices along the 'own-collaborate-access' framework articulated in the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy.
This report offers a perspective on how the UK could maximise its influence in the High North through enhanced cooperation across government and within multilateral fora in order to tackle environmental and geopolitical changes in the region.
The Global Strategic Partnership, a research consortium led by RAND, was commissioned by the UK Ministry of Defence to support the development of a concept of Multi-Domain Integration enabling the UK to maintain advantage by exploiting the integration of activities across domains. In particular, the study aimed to investigate the nature, extent and drivers of Russia, China, Iran and North Korea's own evolving thinking on multi-domain integration.
This article addresses the dual-use conundrum of space technology, examining where the threshold lies for anti-satellite systems.
Competing visions of European strategic autonomy have been widely debated in European Union (EU) policy circles. This study examines the meaning of European strategic autonomy in defence and its implications for the U.S., NATO and EU-US relations using a scenario methodology and transatlantic expert consultation.
RAND Europe was commissioned to conduct a study on how different acts of violence are classified by subject matter experts (SMEs). The study was based on the inputs of 25 SMEs from a range of backgrounds (government/policy, practitioners, and academia/research) and fields (e.g. counter-terrorism, legal, policing). The findings demonstrate ongoing difficulties in classifying acts of violence and inform recommendations for policymakers.
This study sought to understand lessons UK Defence might draw from other nations' approaches to promoting societal resilience, in order to support and enhance the credibility of the UK's resilience and deterrence posture in a competitive age. The study sought first to define societal resilience, understand why it is important, analyse lessons and good practice from other countries, and identify the lessons that are most relevant to UK Defence.
This research brief highlights the likely changes that will arise in global mobility requirements for UK Armed Forces between now and 2040. It also outlines a range of options to deliver global mobility in dynamic threat and policy environments.
The UK Armed Forces will need the right force design and mix of military capabilities to enable them to be 'in the right place at the right time' to deliver on the UK's ambition of be a 'Global Britain'. This study identifies the likely changes that will arise in global mobility requirements between now and 2040 and outlines a range of options to deliver global mobility in dynamic threat and policy environments.
RAND was commissioned by the Finnish Ministry of Defence to examine Finland's defence posture and the transatlantic dimensions of Finnish security policy in the context of a potential crisis in the Nordic-Baltic region. The study provides strategic options for strengthening US-Finnish and regional defence cooperation, building on existing foundations of cooperation and raising the level of ambition as political and resource constraints permit.
This report is an external evaluation of the Strengthening Delivery of the Covenant Programme.
The Movement Coordination Centre Europe commissioned RAND Europe to conduct a scoping study to understand constraints of operating in Africa, as well as barriers to the efficient coordination of airlift and other logistic support in the continent. The African theatre of operations is of increasing strategic importance but presents a wide range of challenges hampering coordination between Member Nations. This narrated presentation describes the project, including key findings.
This study provides an assessment of the risks, challenges and opportunities related to new and emerging technologies that are most expected to shape the future battlefield out to 2040.
