RAND Project AIR FORCE

RAND Project AIR FORCE is the only Department of the Air Force federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) concerned entirely with studies and analyses.

Making a difference for the Department of the Air Force

Strategy and Doctrine Program

The Strategy and Doctrine Program seeks to increase knowledge and understanding of geopolitical and other problems in the national security environments that affect DAF operations.

Force Modernization and Employment Program

The Force Modernization and Employment Program (FMEP) identifies and assesses ways in which technological advances and new operational concepts can improve the DAF’s ability to satisfy a variety of future operational demands.

Resource Management Program

The goal of research conducted within the RAND Project AIR FORCE Resource Management Program (RMP) is to enable the Department of the Air Force (DAF) to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of operations in a resource-constrained environment.

Workforce, Development, and Health Program

Workforce, Development, and Health (WDH) examines the Department of the Air Force’s workforce size and composition, and it addresses the best ways to define, sustain, renew, deliver, and coordinate critical workforces.

More About PAF

An Enduring Partnership to Address the Department of the Air Force's Greatest Challenges
The Department of the Air Force (DAF) confronts challenges on multiple fronts. RAND Project AIR FORCE's (PAF's) mission is to help DAF leaders make informed, research-based decisions to meet those challenges.

Featured Research & Commentary

Research

A Missile Jamming and Engagement Model
Researchers developed a missile jamming engagement model (MJEM) that estimates measures of performance and a measure of effectiveness for an air-launched missile engagement against a target. Some information may be provided to the missile in-flight by signals from airborne or space-based assets, and MJEM was developed to help assess the dependence of the missile on these assets’ signals for success in the engagement under plausible conditions.

More Research & Commentary

Insights From Our Experts

[South Korea's] naval and air forces, in particular, could serve in a variety of non-combat roles, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; demonstrations of presence; and logistics and support. Overall, trilateral cooperation will bolster deterrence against China, not just in case of Taiwan, but more generally…Trilateral cooperation is therefore a key component of a wider U.S. strategy to solidify security and other networks in Asia.

Raymond Kuo

Director and Senior Political Scientist
Source: South China Morning Post
There's a lot of unknown unknowns about how we're going to use space and how space is going to, in the future, play into our daily lives and into our military capabilities. But it is increasingly recognized that space is a war-fighting domain—and not just that, but it's been acknowledged…that it is our most essential war-fighting domain.

Krista Langeland

Deputy Lead, RAND Space Enterprise Initiative
Source: The National News