National Security and Terrorism

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RAND conducts a broad array of national security research for the U.S. Department of Defense and allied ministries of defense. Our federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) explore threat assessment, military acquisition, technology, recruitment and personnel management, counterinsurgency, intelligence, and readiness. RAND is a world leader in terrorism research. Studies address such topics as terrorism financing and strategies to undermine violent extremism.

  • U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Willow drifts by an iceberg, August 23, 2011, photo by PO3 Luke Clayton/U.S. Coast Guard

    Report

    Arctic Capabilities of the U.S. Armed Forces

    The United States has considerable interests in the Arctic and is one of just eight countries with territory in the region. How do U.S. armed forces' capabilities differ from those of other countries operating there, including Russia, China, and allies?

    Nov 1, 2023

  • Abstract painting with two faces, photo by Sasha devet/Adobe Stock

    Commentary

    The Israel-Hamas War Has Upended the Terrorist Threat Matrix

    Today's terrorist threat matrix seems more like an abstract expressionist painting. To those accustomed to traditional landscapes, it is difficult to discern what it depicts. The fighting in Gaza may well provoke terrorist repercussions beyond the region, the magnitude and shape of which will depend on the course of the conflict.

    Nov 22, 2023

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  • Map of East Asia with China filled with the flag of China and Taiwan filled with the blue background and white sun from the flag of Taiwan, image by Olga Dubrovina/Getty Images

    Commentary

    Lessons from the Chinese Conquest of Taiwan

    As Chinese political and military leaders envision conquering Taiwan, their predecessors' earlier seizure of the island is likely to inform their thoughts. Deriving lessons from the prior conquest of Taiwan can contribute to anticipation of possible threats and effective responses to them.

    Oct 26, 2023

  • U.S. President Joe Biden shakes hands with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looks on near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, June 27, 2022, photo by Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

    Commentary

    India-Canada Spat Is No-Win Situation for the U.S.

    For the United States, the ongoing diplomatic row between Canada and India is very uncomfortable because Washington has no interest in choosing sides. The best-case scenario for the Biden administration is that Canada and India resolve their differences privately and expeditiously, without any need for U.S. mediation.

    Oct 25, 2023

  • Infographic

    Infographic

    Prevalence of Past-Year Serious Psychological Distress Among U.S. Veterans

    Certain subgroups of veterans — including female veterans, veterans aged 18–34, multiracial veterans, and bisexual veterans — experienced past-year serious psychological distress at rates significantly higher than the overall veteran population.

    Oct 24, 2023

  • Infographic

    Infographic

    Trends in U.S. Veteran Demographics

    Veterans who served after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks are younger, more diverse in terms of sex and race/ethnicity, and more educated than earlier cohorts of veterans. The overall number of U.S. veterans has been steadily declining.

    Oct 24, 2023

  • Infographic

    Infographic

    U.S. Veteran Labor Market Trends

    Veterans, regardless of race/ethnicity, have lower unemployment rates than nonveterans and are more likely to work in the public sector. The top industries for veteran employment are public administration and manufacturing.

    Oct 24, 2023

  • Infographic

    Infographic

    Alcohol and Substance Use Among U.S. Veterans

    Nearly one-quarter of all veterans report binge drinking within the past month. Veterans who served after 9/11 have higher rates of all substance use behaviors, including alcohol and drug use disorders, than those who served exclusively before 9/11.

    Oct 24, 2023

  • Group side silhouette men and women of different culture, photo by AYSIA/Adobe Stock

    Report

    A Summary of Veteran-Related Statistics

    What are some trends and statistics among the U.S. veteran population? Baseline estimates related to veterans' demographics, mental health, and labor market outcomes can support the work of policymakers and researchers focused on veteran-related issues.

    Oct 24, 2023

  • Report

    Report

    Today's Army Spouse Panel Methodology: 2018 and 2022 Cohorts

    The Today’s Army Spouse Panel offers the opportunity for spouses of U.S. Army soldiers to provide valuable feedback for the Army to use in data-driven decisionmaking. This report details the methodology used to establish this panel.

    Oct 24, 2023

  • Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, U.S. President Joe Biden, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak deliver remarks on the AUKUS partnership at Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego, California, March 13, 2023, photo by Leah Millis/Reuters

    Commentary

    AUKUS as Big Science?

    AUKUS—the trilateral security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—framed as a multinational quest for discovery rather than a security pact made sensible by deterrence logics, could be a political boon, both diplomatically and domestically.

    Oct 24, 2023

  • North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held the Fifth Enlarged Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in Pyongyang, North Korea in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on June 11, 2022, photo by KCNA via Reuters

    Commentary

    What North Korea Is Learning from the Hamas-Israel War

    South Korea and the United States should rein in North Korean nuclear weapon production and prepare to respond to escalated North Korean coercion. While Kim Jong-un probably won't resort to a Hamas-style attack, he certainly shares Hamas' goal of cultivating U.S. reluctance to get involved militarily in the region.

    Oct 24, 2023

  • News Release

    News Release

    RAND Factbook Highlights Demographic, Mental Health and Labor Participation of Military Veterans

    A factbook, accompanied by a collection of infographics, explores trends and estimates about the demographics of veterans. It focuses on the size, sex, age, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, and geographic distribution of the veteran population as compared with nonveterans.

    Oct 24, 2023

  • Business audit stock financial finance management on analysis data strategy with graph accounting marketing or report chart economy investment research profit concept, photo by Lucky Ai/Adobe Stock

    Content

    Veterans' Data in Focus

    A collection of infographics focused on veterans’ social, economic, and physical well-being can be used to shape policies and interventions that address veterans’ needs, close gaps in support, and foster better understanding of the veteran population and their families.

    Oct 24, 2023

  • Israel's newest F-16I fighter jets take off for an airstrike mission in the Gaza Strip on October 16, 2023, photo by EyePress News/Reuters

    Commentary

    The Four Questions the U.S. Military Should Be Asking About Operation Swords of Iron

    The war in Gaza, much like previous Israeli wars, will likely yield a host of lessons for American military planners. It's not too early to identify the right questions to be asking as the conflict unfolds.

    Oct 23, 2023

  • Smoke rises over buildings during an Israeli air strike in Gaza City, October 9, 2023, photo by Sameh Rahmi/Reuters

    Commentary

    Sparing Civilian Lives in Gaza

    How do you protect innocent civilians while conducting effective urban military operations against an enemy who is integrated into the civilian population and entrenched in a location's infrastructure? Despite the ferocity of the Hamas attack and the Israeli response, the moral obligation to reduce civilian harm cannot be ignored.

    Oct 21, 2023

  • RAND Weekly Recap

    Blog

    Risks of AI, Israel Faces Hard Choices, China 'Doesn't Get It': RAND Weekly Recap

    This weekly recap focuses on the risks of artificial intelligence, tough choices facing the Israeli government, China's blunders on the international stage, and more.

    Oct 20, 2023

  • The business district of Vilnius, Lithuania, October 4, 2023, photo by Oliver Berg/Reuters

    Commentary

    The Lithuanian Success Story

    The horrors of the past have motivated Lithuanians to build a successful new independent country. Lithuania is a success story, an advertisement for democracy and market economics during a dark period in Eastern Europe.

    Oct 20, 2023

  • Report

    Report

    Incorporating Environmental Considerations into Defense Acquisition Practices

    RAND researchers assess the knowledge, tools, and capabilities needed by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition workforce to infuse environmental considerations into DoD requirements, acquisition, and resource allocation decisionmaking.

    Oct 19, 2023

  • African-American man's claspling hands with the elbows leaning on his knees, photo by Vladimir Vladimirov/Getty Images

    Testimony

    Improving Treatment Outcomes for Veterans with Mental Health Conditions

    Current treatments for veterans experiencing PTSD and other mental health conditions are largely effective but they do not work for everyone. More treatments that yield better outcomes are needed. With sustained research investment and careful planning, psychedelic-assisted therapies hold great promise to improve care for veterans.

    Oct 19, 2023

  • Report

    Report

    Air Force Readiness Assessment: How Training Infrastructure Can Provide Better Information for Decisionmaking

    Investments in U.S. Air Force training infrastructure to improve readiness assessment can better inform decisions amid changing environments, an increased pace of warfare, and the potential loss of superiority.

    Oct 19, 2023

  • Air Force, USAEUR, United States Army Europe, Latvia, TACP, JTAC, Operation Atlantic Resolve, OAR, Adazi, Kadaga, Adazi Military Base, Germany, Multinational, NATO, allies, Europe, Interoperability, simulation, Strong Europe, 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron, Air Support, CAS

    Research Brief

    How Training Infrastructure Can Improve Assessments of Air Force Readiness

    This brief summarizes research on how investments in U.S. Air Force training infrastructure to improve readiness assessment can better inform decisions amid changing environments, an increased pace of warfare, and the potential loss of superiority.

    Oct 19, 2023

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