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Aircraft

Research insights into aircraft selection and maintenance, crew training, test facilities, and airspace access are valuable to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and U.S. and allied air forces. RAND studies have also examined military air power and aerospace industry issues.

Commentary
The Downside of Drones
The chief political drawback is that target countries' populations view drone attacks as violations of their sovereignty every bit as much as manned raids. The chief military drawback: A drone attack destroys the critical intelligence that is needed to ensure that the tactical strike can be converted to strategic advantage.
Nov 1, 2013
Report
Implications of an Air Force Budget Downturn on the Aircraft Industrial Base
The U.S. Air Force is facing a number of challenges as a result of the current defense budget downturn. RAND examined the challenge of modernizing the Air Force's aircraft fleet while trying to sustain the industrial base with limited funding.
Nov 1, 2013
Dissertation
Capacity Management and Changing Requirements: Cost Effective Decision Making in an Uncertain World
Explores other options for dealing with excess Air Force fleet capacity and their relative cost effectiveness.
Oct 30, 2013
Commentary
The Future of Counterterrorism: Fewer Drones, More Partnerships
Drones are just one of three principal U.S. counterterrorism tools. Special Operations forces are now relying on a more balanced mix of tactics: Launching raids and developing partner forces offer more versatility than drone strikes and will probably become the wave of the future as America's big wars wind down.
Oct 21, 2013
Blog
Do U.S. Raids in Libya, Somalia Signal a Shift in Terror Strategy?
The raids that the United States conducted over the weekend in Libya and Somalia could signal a new focus in Washington on capturing terrorist suspects and gathering intelligence rather than relying on drone strikes. RAND experts Linda Robinson, Angel Rabasa, and Seth Jones comment.
Oct 10, 2013
Multimedia
Events @ RAND Podcast: Drones
In September 2013, Ted Harshberger, director of RAND Project AIR FORCE, moderated a panel discussion on current military and nonmilitary use of drones and other potential applications.
Sep 25, 2013
Commentary
The Desirability of 'Free' C-27s for the U.S. Forest Service
Although we believe that a scooper-centric firefighting aircraft portfolio for initial attack would still be preferred, Air Force-provided 1,850-gallon C-27Js could be a cost-effective component of the retardant-bearing portion of the Forest Service's airborne firefighting arsenal, write Edward G. Keating and Daniel M. Norton.
Sep 6, 2013
Commentary
By Land and by Sea
There are good reasons for the United States to rethink how it counterbalances Iran, reassures local allies, and projects power with fewer resources. However, tying down large numbers of fighter aircraft in the Gulf is likely only to exacerbate old problems and create new ones.
Jul 22, 2013
Report
Costs of Flying Units in Air Force Active and Reserve Components
Presents a methodology for compiling and comparing the costs of operating Air Force active- and reserve-component flying units and discusses how such comparisons can be used to explore force mix alternatives.
Jul 9, 2013
Report
Crisis Stability and Long-Range Strike: A Comparative Analysis of Fighters, Bombers, and Missiles
In an international crisis, the United States must balance its threats with restraint while limiting its vulnerability. A RAND study sought to identify which long-range strike assets offer capabilities most conducive to stabilizing such crises.
Jun 19, 2013
Commentary
Firefighting Aircraft: Is Bigger Better?
An aircraft's capacity and speed largely determine the rate at which water or retardant can be applied to a fire. Very large air tankers (VLATs) certainly have the capacity to apply large amounts of fluids to a fire, but because of the distances travelled they may not be able to get a second load very quickly.
May 20, 2013
Commentary
Drones Are Useful, but Not the Solution or the Problem
The effectiveness of our attacks, particularly by drones, has already decimated the al Qaeda hierarchy, writes Harold Brown. That achievement, together with the negative effect on Muslim publics of drone attacks, suggests that the rate of their usage could be moderated.
May 16, 2013
Report
Maximizing Throughput at Soft Airfields
Shows that there is an optimum landing weight that allows for maximum cargo delivery on soft landing fields. This optimum weight is constant and independent of both aircraft ramp weight and the ability of the soil to resist compressive loads.
Apr 23, 2013
Report
Commercial Intratheater Airlift: Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Use in U.S. Central Command
Intratheater airlift delivers critical and time-sensitive supplies to deployed forces, but is it cost effective to use commercial, rather than organic Air Force, aircraft to supply this airlift?
Apr 8, 2013
Commentary
The Benefits of U.S. Drones in West Africa
The establishment of a U.S. base in Niger is intended to facilitate intelligence collection and will provide a more complete picture of militant movements in Niger, Mali, and other countries in the Sahel, writes Seth Jones. The United States will share this intelligence with Malian and French forces.
Apr 5, 2013
Report
Assessment of Beddown Alternatives for the F-35: Executive Summary
RAND assessed the savings potential of reconfiguring the U.S. Air Force's combat-coded F-35s into larger squadrons and adjusting the Primary Aerospace Vehicle Authorized mix across the Active and Reserve Components.
Apr 3, 2013
Report
Assessment of Beddown Alternatives for the F-35
RAND assessed the savings potential of reconfiguring the U.S. Air Force's combat-coded F-35s into larger squadrons and adjusting the Primary Aerospace Vehicle Authorized mix across the Active and Reserve Components.
Apr 3, 2013
Report
Reducing Long-Term Costs While Preserving a Robust Strategic Airlift Fleet: Options for the Current Fleet and Next-Generation Aircraft
The current strategic airlift fleet will be reaching the end of its service life in the next few decades, which has raised concerns about the cost and possible budget spike that would result from the need to recapitalize that fleet. This monograph presents the results of a cost-effectiveness analysis to determine the best way to recapitalize the USAF intertheater (strategic) airlift fleet.
Jan 31, 2013
Report
Modernizing the Mobility Air Force for Tomorrow's Air Traffic Management System
Building on RAND work examining the cost-effectiveness of modernizing the U.S. Air Force's KC-10 aerial refueling tanker to comply with airspace modernization mandates, this study extended the analysis to the C-5, C-17, C-130, and KC-135 fleets.
Dec 6, 2012
Dissertation
Expanding the Use of Time/Frequency Difference of Arrival Geolocation in the Department of Defense
Explores an area in which the Department of Defense can operate smarter with its proliferating unmanned aircraft systems fleet.
Nov 12, 2012

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Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Michelle Woods

Associate Director, RAND Homeland Security Research Division

Michelle Woods is the associate director of the RAND Homeland Security Research Division (HSRD), which operates the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC). She is also a senior defense researcher at the RAND Corporation.
Sherrill Lingel

Director, Force Modernization and Employment Program, RAND Project Air Force

Sherrill Lingel is director of the Force Modernization and Employment Program within RAND Project Air Force (PAF), and a senior engineer at the RAND Corporation. She spent three years as a field analyst reporting directly to Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) leadership. She was a department director of…

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