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Military Tactics

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RAND has studied issues related to the successful deployment of military forces since 1948. In that time, its studies have addressed tactics varying from nuclear deterrence to terrorism and counterinsurgency.

Report
How to Effectively Assess the Impact of Non-Lethal Weapons as Intermediate Force Capabilities
The U.S Department of Defense needs to be able to assess the tactical, operational, and strategic impact of non-lethal weapons to inform how and when they should be used and their integration into overall DoD capabilities. How do non-lethal weapons contribute to overarching DoD goals?
Jan 18, 2022
Essay
Civilian Casualties: Lessons from the Battle for Raqqa
The United States' emphasis on minimizing civilian harm in Raqqa, Syria, was quite clear and strong up and down the chain of command. But the way in which the U.S. military waged war in Raqqa too often undercut that commitment. The Pentagon asked RAND to find out what happened.
Jul 1, 2022

Explore Military Tactics

Commentary
Revive the Ram
In the face of aggressive maneuvers by Chinese vessels, the U.S. Navy can brandish ramming USVs as a capability to inhibit threats while limiting the risk of escalation. These relatively simple, inexpensive vehicles could be used alongside a variety of nonlethal weapons to manage confrontations, giving commanders more options as they attempt to prevent China from dominating the seas.
Jun 22, 2023
Blog
Arming Teachers, F-16s in Ukraine, Commercial Spaceflight: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on how teachers feel about arming teachers, what F-16s will (and won't) do for Ukraine, the need to regulate commercial spaceflight, and more.
Jun 2, 2023
Report
Advancing Combat Support to Sustain Agile Combat Employment Concepts: Integrating Global, Theater, and Unit Capabilities to Improve Support to a High-End Fight
This report presents a framework to assess necessary elements of the combat support enterprise — including base, theater, and global resources — for operating in a hybrid push-pull system as a means to mitigate uncertainty and adversary actions.
May 23, 2023
Report
Lead Forward: Mobility Air Force Command Nodes for Complex Operations
Motivated by the future threat to air force command and control networks and forces, the authors identify the demands of future conflicts and consider alternative options for the design of wing-level command and control elements.
May 15, 2023
Blog
Truth Decay and National Security, Gun Violence, Blockading Crimea: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on Truth Decay and national security, America's gun violence problem, how Ukraine could blockade Crimea, and more.
Apr 14, 2023
Commentary
Why Blockading Rather Than Retaking Crimea Might Be Kyiv's Best Option
Ukraine may lack the military capability to retake Crimea from Russia. But Kyiv might still achieve some of its key objectives by blockading the peninsula. New technology may ease this task.
Apr 10, 2023
Report
Unraveling Entanglement: Policy Implications of Using Non-Dedicated Systems for Nuclear Command and Control
Recent arguments have emphasized the increased risk of inadvertent escalation from integrating and comingling conventional and nuclear command and control (NC2) systems. In this report, the authors argue that these concerns are overstated. However, they also point out that certain risks associated with using non-dedicated systems for NC2 warrant more-focused attention.
Mar 9, 2023
Report
Assessment of Joint All Domain Command and Control Requirements and the Use of Live, Virtual, and Constructive Capabilities for Training
This report presents research findings addressing the use of live, virtual, and constructive simulation capabilities for continuation training at air operation centers in the U.S. Air Force, in support of Joint All Domain Command and Control.
Mar 2, 2023
Multimedia
Russian Military Operations in Ukraine in 2022 and the Year Ahead
An overview of testimony by Dara Massicot presented before the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services on February 28, 2023.
Feb 28, 2023
Commentary
Consequences of the War in Ukraine: Escalation
If Russian forces remain unable to defeat Ukraine, and Putin remains unwilling to back down, what escalation options does Russia have left?
Feb 27, 2023
Commentary
Russian Troops Know How Little They Mean to Putin
Over the past year, the Russian military has sustained staggering losses—over 100,000 casualties, thousands of pieces of armored equipment, and several squadrons of fighter jets and helicopters. But Russia isn't stopping. Newly mobilized Russian troops, knowing they are being used as cannon fodder, have made public appeals to be spared.
Feb 23, 2023
Report
Universal Command and Control Language Early System Engineering: Performance Effects of a Universal Command and Control Standard
In a multiyear effort, RAND researchers analyzed the challenges of creating a universal command and control language to facilitate the evolution of systems and interoperability of systems-of-systems for the U.S. Department of Defense.
Feb 21, 2023
Journal Article
What Russia Got Wrong: Can Moscow Learn From Its Failures in Ukraine?
Russia's struggles in Ukraine cannot be explained only as endemic military problems. Is Russia capable of learning from its failures?
Feb 15, 2023
Commentary
Ten Things That Inspired Me in 2022
It would be impossible to capture all the important work that RAND does in a year. But RAND president and CEO Jason Matheny has compiled ten times he was inspired by RAND's efforts to bring insight to some of the biggest policy stories of 2022.
Dec 15, 2022
Commentary
Nonlethal Weapons Can Play a Growing Role in U.S. Defense
Overcoming the web of factors inhibiting the use of nonlethal weapons will take sustained effort over time. But it can have a powerful impact on America's ability to achieve U.S. national security goals while avoiding unnecessary conflict.
Dec 12, 2022
Commentary
Ukraine's Lessons for the Future of Hybrid Warfare
A new decision-analysis approach is necessary to capture the use of disinformation in the context of hybrid warfare. Multiple tools must be integrated to help generate a robust policy response to modern hybrid threats.
Nov 28, 2022
Commentary
The Drifting Menace
The drifting mine threat is not going away: they are simple, effective weapons that are easily made and deployed even by actors with limited naval capabilities. A holistic approach to tactics, enforcement, and technology development could help counter the threat and maintain future freedom of the seas.
Nov 16, 2022
Commentary
Ukraine's Dream Could Be Taiwan's Nightmare
Defenders of territorial sovereignty and a peaceful world order may be cheered by Ukraine's success, but there is danger that success could decrease the urgency of efforts to strengthen Taiwan. China will seek to learn from the problems Russia has had in Ukraine. Will the U.S. and other supporters of Taiwan do the same?
Oct 28, 2022
Commentary
Understanding Russia's Motivations, and Using Them
The concept of ontological security could help explain Putin's war on Ukraine and his regime's reasoning. It's about maintaining a continuous sense of self, and in this case, of state identity. Putin may have deemed the invasion necessary to maintain a sense of continuity and order, where order is Russia's continued adversarial relationship with the West.
Aug 19, 2022
Research Brief
Evaluating the Use of Non-Lethal Weapons in Operational Environments
This brief summarizes a RAND-developed methodology to evaluate the impact of non-lethal weapons in a way that better informs Department of Defense decisions about their development, integration into military forces, and use in diverse contexts.
Aug 5, 2022

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RAND Topic:
Military Tactics

Topic Synonyms:
Military Methods

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Gary McLeod

Senior Policy Analyst

Gary McLeod is a senior policy researcher at the RAND Corporation. He has more than thirty years of experience at RAND analyzing a wide range of issues for the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Pacific Command, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, and the Intelligence Community. His…
John Matsumura

Senior Engineer

John Matsumura is a senior engineer at the RAND Corporation with over 30 years of experience leading research on innovation and technology. At RAND, Matsumura has served in key research management positions, including director of the Joint Warfare Simulation and Analysis Center and associate…

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