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Joint Operations

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Report
The Strategic Value of Jointness in Major Power Competition and Conflict
For more than 30 years, the U.S. Department of Defense has placed substantial emphasis on jointness. Understanding what aspects of jointness are most valuable—and why—can help DoD compete more effectively against its adversaries and maximize the United States' competitive military advantages.
Sep 5, 2023
Research Brief
The Aftermath of a Great Power War
A review of historical great power wars shows that prewar predictions about who would fight, how long the war would last, and how the world would look afterward were often wrong. It's important to understand what the outcomes of different conflicts could look like and how to better prepare for them.
May 9, 2023

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Commentary
The Russo-Ukrainian War Has Bolstered Ukraine's Nonstate Alliance Network
Since 2014, militant groups from Russia, Belarus, Chechnya, and elsewhere have established themselves as allies of Ukraine in its fight against Russia and its aligned forces. Though alignment with these groups presents clear benefits in the near term, Kyiv should be cautious since these groups could turn on Ukraine at any time should their interests no longer align.
Aug 7, 2023
Report
Alternative Futures Following a Great Power War: Volume 1, Scenarios, Findings, and Recommendations
RAND researchers generated four plausible near-term great power war scenarios and assessed how they could shape the postwar strategic environment.
May 9, 2023
Report
Gaining the Edge: Identifying and Leveraging Frameworks for Enabling Army Contributions to Competition
This report supports the U.S. Army's effort to rethink its roles and responsibilities to meet the demands of competition with near peers below the threshold of armed conflict.
May 2, 2023
Report
Imagining the Future of Professional Military Education in the United States: Results from a Virtual Workshop
Professional military education (PME) institutions prepare leaders for complex future conflicts. RAND researchers led a workshop to discuss PME program evolution. Participants generally agreed on goals but not on the means for attaining them.
Apr 18, 2023
Report
Organizing and Training Airfield Operations Capabilities for Emerging Expeditionary Operations: Potential Courses of Action
The authors identify ways to enable the airfield operations (AO) career fields to respond to the needs created by the Dynamic Force Employment concept and the USAF implementation of Agile Combat Employment.
Mar 16, 2023
Report
New Directions for Projecting Land Power in the Indo-Pacific: Contexts, Constraints, and Concepts
This report seeks to address how the U.S. Army can most effectively project and employ land power in the Indo-Pacific, during competition and conflict, with a focus on scenarios involving China.
Dec 20, 2022
Report
The Role of Information in U.S. Concepts for Strategic Competition
Gray zone activities—acts of aggression that remain below the threshold of war—can be used to gain an edge in great-power competition. How can the information environment support U.S. responses to these activities?
Oct 25, 2022
Report
Joint Requirements Framework for Collaboration at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
To help the U.S. Department of Homeland Security plan and assess joint activities, researchers created a framework with a decision aid, a taxonomy, a tool for selecting program types, and recommendations for structuring joint programs for success.
Sep 6, 2022
Report
Prioritizing Security Cooperation with Highly Capable U.S. Allies: Framing Army-to-Army Partnerships
In this report, researchers present recommendations for enabling the U.S. Army to better prioritize and coordinate its security cooperation activities with its allies for coalition operations and engagements in third countries.
Mar 1, 2022
Multimedia
The U.S. Army's Role in the Pacific Theater: A Panel Discussion with General Charles A. Flynn
Speaking at a RAND Corporation event, General Charles A. Flynn, head of the U.S. Army Pacific, said that the nation's land force provides two distinct values in a maritime region: (1) supporting allies and partners and (2) providing enabling capabilities to the Joint Force, including sustainment and logistics.
Dec 6, 2021
Commentary
Preserving the ROK-U.S. Alliance by Sustaining Military Exercises
The Republic of Korea (ROK)/U.S. military forces based in the ROK are in a constant state of training, which is required to maintain military effectiveness. North Korea seeks to stop this ROK/U.S. military training, but taking the North Korean complaints seriously could be a mistake.
Nov 30, 2021
Report
Army Theater Fires Command: Integration and Control of Very Long-Range Army Fires
The U.S. Army is developing a new generation of surface-to-surface fires with very long ranges. To help with integration, the Army proposed creating the Theater Fires Command, which will need to operate as part of a joint force.
Aug 30, 2021
Report
Supporting Joint Warfighter Readiness: Opportunities and Incentives for Interservice and Intraservice Coordination with Training-Simulator Acquisition and Use
As conflicts increasingly involve joint operations, joint simulation-based training becomes more important. The authors examine gaps between joint training needs and current and future resources to improve coordination within and among the services.
Aug 4, 2021
Report
Running the Joint: Air Force Efforts to Build a Joint Task Force Headquarters
The authors examine U.S. Air Force efforts to develop a capability to carry out a Joint Task Force Headquarters (JTF HQ) mission. The findings will be relevant to anyone interested in Air Force efforts to stand up a JTF HQ.
Jul 13, 2021
Report
Could France Support a U.S.-Led War in Eastern Europe?
France has a greater range of capabilities than most other European militaries. It has remained strongly committed to NATO and bilateral defense cooperation with the United States. What capabilities might France bring to a hypothetical high-intensity conventional war against Russia?
Jun 16, 2021
Report
The Demand for Responsiveness in Past U.S. Military Operations
The Department of Defense argues that it must maintain a high level of readiness across the joint force to remain highly responsive. The author conducts a historical analysis to identify the demand for responsiveness in past U.S. military operations.
Jan 28, 2021
Report
Multiple Dilemmas: Challenges and Options for All-Domain Command and Control
The authors examine potential command-and-control impediments to multidomain operations and propose alternative models for joint all-domain command and control.
Dec 3, 2020
Research Brief
Multiple Dilemmas for the Joint Force: Joint All-Domain Command and Control
The authors examine potential command and control impediments to multidomain operations and propose alternative models for joint all-domain command and control.
Dec 3, 2020

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Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Sam Wallace

Policy Analyst

Sam Wallace is a policy analyst at RAND, based out of the Arlington, Virginia office. He works on a broad range of defense and intelligence matters, with expertise in force planning, military logistics, chemical and biological defense, security cooperation, and wargaming. Before joining RAND, he…
Jonathan Welch

Policy Researcher

Jonathan Welch is a policy researcher at the RAND Corporation who works on a broad range of defense and intelligence matters. His areas of expertise include maritime operations, joint operations, information operations, security cooperation, wargaming, and manpower issues. Before joining RAND,…

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