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North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

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As a military alliance with roots in the Cold War, NATO's strategy and purpose have had to shift since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. RAND has assisted U.S. and European defense establishments by recommending expansion strategies; analyzing activities in the Balkans and Afghanistan, areas outside NATO's traditional focus; and advising decisionmakers on issues critical to NATO's mission and the interests of its member nations.

Report
Avoiding a Long War in Ukraine
The United States has a strong interest in avoiding a long war in Ukraine. Although Washington cannot alone determine the war's duration, it can take steps to make an eventual negotiated peace more likely.
Jan 25, 2023
Commentary
A New Era? NATO's Prioritisation of Human Security in an Insecure World
Human security and NATO's role and responsibility to protect civilians during conflict saw new prioritization in the alliance's 2022 Strategic Concept. While much progress has been made, more could be done to ensure the alliance can deliver on these commitments.
Aug 10, 2022

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Commentary
Mind the GIUK Gap
For decades, NATO forces have used nearby bases to keep tabs on Russian submarines, surface ships, and aircraft transiting the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom Gap. Strong independence movements in Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Scotland could soon jeopardize this position.
Jul 15, 2021
Report
How Would NATO Compete with Russia?
Western threat perceptions of Russia have risen sharply in recent years, bolstered by its acts of military aggression, political interference, and efforts to expand its global influence. What would be the strengths, weaknesses, and risks for the United States, NATO, and Russia in a large-scale war?
Jun 22, 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
Multimedia
Expert Insights: Crisis Response in a Changing Climate
In this audio conversation, senior analyst Lucia Retter is joined by Lieutenant General Richard Nugee, the nonexecutive director for climate change and sustainability for UK Defence, to discuss a study on the implications of climate change for UK defence logistics in crisis response situations.
Jun 4, 2021
Journal Article
Future Threats and Some Considerations for the Next U.S. National Defense Strategy
In this article, the authors offer a U.S. perspective on the evolution of threats from the recent past, and posit several considerations for the next National Defense Strategy.
Jan 26, 2021
Commentary
Russia's Great Wall
China built a wall to protect against foreign invaders, but Russia is erecting a barrier that could weaken its position. Moscow's pressure on neighbors has spurred NATO to bolster its presence in Russia's immediate vicinity.
Jan 25, 2021
Journal Article
The Impact of New and Emerging Technologies on the Cyber Threat Landscape and Their Implications for NATO
This paper discusses a selection of new and emerging technologies with potentially disruptive effects, particularly concerning cyber threats that may stem from their maturation and use over the next decade.
Jan 12, 2021
Journal Article
Cyber Threats to NATO from a Multi-Domain Perspective
This paper situates cyber threats in the wider context of evolving multi-domain operations (MDO) theory and practice.
Jan 12, 2021
Journal Article
Russia's Cyber Limitations in Personnel Recruitment and Innovation, Their Potential Impact on Future Operations and How NATO and Its Members Can Respond
This chapter addresses questions arising from the gap that separates Russian cyber personnel and capabilities from its ambitions and what effect this disparity has on future state-backed cyber campaigns.
Dec 23, 2020
Report
Japan-Europe Security Ties in the Age of Strategic Competition
Some of America's strongest allies are its European partners and Japan. In an age of growing strategic competition, how are these allies cooperating with one another? And how might these partnerships affect the United States?
Dec 21, 2020
Multimedia
Expert Insights: Defence Challenges and Opportunities for Norway
Ruth Harris, research director for the Defence, Security, and Infrastructure group at RAND Europe, is joined by senior political scientist Stephen Flanagan and international defence researcher Gene Germanovich in a discussion about their study on enhancing deterrence and defence on NATO's northern flank.
Dec 14, 2020
Commentary
Standing Together on NATO's North Flank: UK-Norwegian Defence Cooperation
The UK and Norway share a long and close history, bound by shared experiences as seafaring nations whose political, cultural, and economic development have been shaped in part by their exploitation of the North Sea and North Atlantic. Much could remain to be gained from continuing to deepen and evolve their longstanding partnership to meet the new challenges of the 21st century.
Dec 9, 2020
Report
Unlocking NATO's Amphibious Potential: Lessons from the Past, Insights for the Future
Researchers analyze the past, present, and future employment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's amphibious forces, highlight ongoing initiatives, and identify several efforts that should be pursued to advance its amphibious capabilities.
Nov 9, 2020
Journal Article
Lessons from Maritime Narcotics Interdiction: Interdiction in the Maritime Source, Transit, and Arrival Zones of the Western Hemisphere
Sharing information with foreign partners and regional, local, and private actors has been proven to be absolutely critical to success in combating any transnational threat and preventing illegal activities from threatening the homeland and allies.
Nov 5, 2020
Report
European Contributions to NATO's Future Combat Airpower
European air forces currently have limited capabilities for defending allies in high-intensity conflict. However, Europe's airpower is trending in the right direction, especially with the introduction of fifth-generation aircraft.
Oct 22, 2020
Report
Russia, NATO, and Black Sea Security
The Black Sea region is a locus of the competition between Russia and the West for the future of Europe. What is Moscow doing to advance its goals there? And how might NATO allies and partners respond?
Oct 5, 2020
Commentary
Russia Is Eyeing the Mediterranean. The U.S. and NATO Must Be Prepared
Russia is seeking more access and freedom of movement in the Mediterranean region, and is bolstering its military footprint to achieve this objective. The United States and NATO could respond by developing a more robust southern strategy, with a reinforced air and naval presence, respectively.
Jun 30, 2020
Report
Military Trends and the Future of Warfare: The Changing Global Environment and Its Implications for the U.S. Air Force
This volume of the Future of Warfare series examines significant factors shaping military trends over the next 10–15 years: changes in the size, quality, and character of military forces available to the United States and its potential adversaries.
May 11, 2020
Report
Geopolitical Trends and the Future of Warfare: The Changing Global Environment and Its Implications for the U.S. Air Force
This volume of the Future of Warfare series explains six trends—U.S. polarization, China's rise, Asia's realignment, a revanchist Russia, upheaval in Europe, and turmoil in the Islamic world—that will drive conflict between now and 2030.
May 11, 2020
Research Brief
Reimagining Conventional Arms Control
For much of the past 30 years, conventional arms control (CAC) has played a historic role in ensuring the security of Europe. But today, the CAC regime is outdated and mostly irrelevant. New approaches to CAC are needed to address the challenges posed by the current security environment.
Apr 29, 2020

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RAND Topic:
North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Topic Synonyms:
NATO;
North Atlantic Alliance;
OTAN

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Stephen J. Flanagan

Adjunct Senior Fellow

Stephen J. Flanagan is an adjunct senior fellow at the RAND Corporation. He served in several senior positions in government, most recently as special assistant to the president and senior director for defense policy and strategy at the National Security Council (NSC) from 2013 to 2015. Between…
Kotryna Jukneviciute

Defense Analyst

Kotryna Jukneviciute is a defense analyst at the RAND Corporation, and her work has focused on Russian military operations, defense of the Baltics, nuclear escalation dynamics, space security, security cooperation, and U.S./Turkey relations. She has also worked on operational experimentation…

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