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Military Strategy

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RAND research on military strategy has ranged from issues related to the tactics that lead to success in armed engagements, to work that describes how the size and deployment of one nation's military affects its political relationships with others.

Commentary
Revealing the Impact of Non-Lethal Weapons
Non-lethal weapons can be useful to U.S. military forces in a variety of contexts, but the Pentagon faces a challenge in ensuring their appropriate use and evaluating the potential effects of their deployment.
Jun 15, 2022
Report
Determining the Military Capabilities Most Needed to Counter China and Russia
U.S. decisionmakers face difficult choices when investing scarce military resources into capabilities that can effectively thwart Russian and Chinese aggression. What is the blueprint for success?
Jun 22, 2022

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Commentary
Japan's Strategic Shift: Significant, but Implementation Hurdles May Await
Japan's new strategic documents appear to demonstrate a recognition in Tokyo that it must do more for its own defense in the face of unprecedented security challenges. The dedication of resources, pursuit of new capabilities, and overarching commitment to a more robust defense are all significant moves that represent landmark change by one of America's key allies.
Jan 27, 2023
Testimony
China's Overseas Military Diplomacy and Implications for U.S. Interests
As the U.S.-China competition intensifies, military diplomacy is one of the tools that China could potentially use to gain advantage. What are some ways that China’s military diplomacy activities could challenge U.S. interests? And what are some recommendations for U.S. policymakers?
Jan 26, 2023
Commentary
Appreciating U.S. Ground Force Contributions to Operation Inherent Resolve
Defeating ISIS hinged on a ground fight, requiring the grueling liberation of territory kilometer by kilometer. While Iraqi forces bore the brunt of frontline fighting, U.S. forces were also engaged in on-the-ground combat operations that hastened the defeat of ISIS. Appreciating such contributions will be necessary to distill the right lessons so that we might correctly apply them to future irregular warfare.
Jan 25, 2023
Report
First Mover Typology for the Space Domain: Building a Foundation for Future Analysis
The authors offer a categorization and nuanced views of first moves in military strategy as a basis for understanding and further analysis of first mover advantage in the space domain.
Jan 25, 2023
Commentary
'Strategic Ambiguity' May Have U.S. and Taiwan Trapped in a Prisoner's Dilemma
For its proponents, the idea of strategic ambiguity seems to have become an end in itself that has not adapted, and logically cannot adapt to the disruptive growth in Beijing's military power. The conditions under which the policy worked seem to have evaporated with China's rise. Strategic clarity may offer a way out of this dilemma.
Jan 18, 2023
Commentary
How the War in Ukraine Could End Sooner Than Expected
There are predictions aplenty that Russia's war on Ukraine will persist. But it could also end soon. Kremlin regime change, a Russian army collapse, or a Ukrainian win are possible. None of these contingencies should be ruled out.
Jan 17, 2023
Research Brief
Managing the Escalation Risks of U.S. Military Activities in the Indo-Pacific
This brief describes how the United States can select and shape its military activities in the Indo-Pacific region to deter Chinese aggression against U.S. allies and partners while also limiting the risks of escalatory Chinese reactions.
Jan 12, 2023
Commentary
Could Taiwan Defend with Uncrewed Surface Vessels?
Ukraine has demonstrated the ability of explosive uncrewed surface vessels to target ships. These weapons could play a role in preventing Chinese forces from successfully invading Taiwan in potential future scenarios.
Jan 9, 2023
Blog
A Potential Russian Attack on NATO, China in the Arctic, Inflation: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on how the West might respond in the case of a limited Russian attack on NATO, what China's Arctic ambitions mean to the United States, how inflation affects middle-class households, and more.
Jan 6, 2023
Commentary
Ukraine and the New Two War Construct
The United States might look at its support of Ukraine as a potential model for future defense strategy. It would require a substantial expansion of the defense industrial base, but it might offer a plausible way to keep American objectives and resources in line without sacrificing too much in either.
Jan 5, 2023
Commentary
Japanese 'Counterstrike' May Be Good for ROK Security
Fully coordinated, the South Korean Kill Chain and Japanese counterstrike capability could be more effective in stopping North Korea from causing damage. And they could be more likely to deter Kim Jong-un, as Pyongyang recognizes that its efforts to militarily dominate the ROK are unlikely to succeed.
Dec 28, 2022
Report
Responding to a Russian Attack on NATO During the Ukraine War
The Ukraine war has created a unique set of circumstances that make a limited Russian attack against a NATO target plausible. If such an attack were to occur, how might the United States and NATO respond?
Dec 20, 2022
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
Commentary
Mastering Irregular Warfare
The U.S. military has failed to master irregular warfare above the tactical level. This is not a new problem, and it is one that has been recognized by leaders at the most senior echelons of government. There are several steps that the DoD and U.S. Congress might consider to develop the mastery of irregular warfare that the United States needs.
Dec 14, 2022
Blog
Can the War in Ukraine Help the United States Address Security Concerns in the Indo-Pacific?
Even as the Russian military continues to struggle in Ukraine, Air Force leaders and top national security experts at the 2022 West Coast Aerospace Forum warned not to expect similar outcomes in a potential conflict with China. The 7th annual event focused on applying lessons learned from Russia's invasion of Ukraine to the security challenges in the Indo-Pacific.
Dec 14, 2022
Commentary
Japan's Upcoming Defense Efforts
The Japanese government looks set to release three important documents shortly: a new National Security Strategy and two defense documents that lay out spending priorities over the next ten years and five years. In preparation for the release of these documents, here are six areas that could be candidates not only to receive a greater prioritization of resources, but also greater scrutiny.
Dec 13, 2022
Commentary
North Korea's Version of 'Take Your Daughter to Work Day'
With the spotlight having long been fixed on the nuclear issue, the public debut of Kim Jong-un's “most beloved” child seems as though it could be an impeccably timed distraction to keep the international community from focusing on seeking an enduring solution to Pyongyang's rapidly advancing weapons systems.
Dec 12, 2022
Blog
Protests in China, Negotiating with Russia, L.A.'s 'Mansion Tax': RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on protests in China amid the government's zero-COVID policy, the potential harm in negotiating with Russia, building more affordable housing in Los Angeles, and more.
Dec 2, 2022
Report
A New Era of Major-Power Competition
While there is a general consensus that the United States is now in a new era of strategic competition with China and Russia, there is not yet a clear understanding of what that means or what forms it could take. How can the United States best position itself to succeed?
Nov 30, 2022
Report
Managing Escalation While Competing Effectively in the Indo-Pacific
In response to China's expanding military activity in the Indo-Pacific, the United States has increased its activity in the region over the past decade. How can America continue to safeguard its interests while limiting potential risks of escalation with China?
Nov 30, 2022

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RAND Topic:
Military Strategy

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