Michael Spirtas

Acting Associate Director, RAND National Security Research Division; Senior Political Scientist

Washington Office

Education

Ph.D. in international relations, Columbia University

One Page Bio

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

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Overview

Michael Spirtas is the acting associate director of the RAND National Security Research Division, and a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation. He has worked in a number of policy areas, including U.S. defense strategy, force development, and command and control. He has also served as a force developer in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, U.S. Department of Defense, and as special assistant to the director, Operational Plans and Joint Matters, U.S. Air Force. He received a Ph.D. in political science (international relations) from Columbia University.

Research Focus

Previous Positions

Special Assistant to the Director, Operational Plans and Joint Matters, United States Air Force; Force Developer, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy)

Recent Projects

Wargaming
Force Development
Command and Control
Multidomain Operations

Honors & Awards

Award for Excellence, Secretary of Defense

Recent Media Appearances

Interviews: KPCC-FM AirTalk

Commentary

Security Cooperation

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
War on the Rocks
Operational Readiness

The Future and Past of War and Disease
The U.S. government is actively reviewing its efforts to counter biological attacks and the Department of Defense is taking steps that could allow it to perform day-to-day operations during a pandemic, but it might not be preparing adequately for a future large-scale operation during a more-transmissible and lethal pandemic.
Jan 27, 2022
United Press International
Operational Readiness

Are We Truly Prepared for a War with Russia or China?
The U.S. Department of Defense will likely need a strategy to overcome a war with either Russia or China. As threats from these two countries grow, what can the United States do now to prepare for major conflict?
Oct 9, 2018
The Hill
Military Doctrine

Toward One Understanding of Multiple Domains
The U.S. defense community can and should do what it can to get the most benefit from operating across domains. It just needs to remember to proceed carefully to discern between actual benefits and falsehoods that may do more harm than good.
May 2, 2018
C4ISRNET
Hey Washington Experts — Don't Roll Your Eyes Over Trump, Roll Up Your Sleeves
Policy experts do not want to be irrelevant or ignored. The Trump administration does not want to fail, and needs to generate winning policies. By working together, the administration and the policy community could help one another, and, more importantly, the nation.
Jan 12, 2017
Fox News Channel
North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Why Brexit Won't Necessarily Hurt NATO
Concerns that the Brexit vote could weaken NATO are overblown. There will likely be a wide range of fallout that will spread beyond the economic realm, but the European Union is not NATO and it's far too early to expect dramatic outcomes.
Jul 3, 2016
U.S. News & World Report
Russia

Is Winter Coming? Or, Our Russia Strategy
Many ask if Russian actions represent a new challenge to international order, and, if so, what is the best course of action to respond to it.
Nov 12, 2015
Breaking Defense

Publications

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
Report
Running the Joint: Air Force Efforts to Build a Joint Task Force Headquarters
The authors examine U.S. Air Force efforts to develop a capability to carry out a Joint Task Force Headquarters (JTF HQ) mission. The findings will be relevant to anyone interested in Air Force efforts to stand up a JTF HQ.
Jul 13, 2021
Research Brief
Multiple Dilemmas for the Joint Force: Joint All-Domain Command and Control
The authors examine potential command and control impediments to multidomain operations and propose alternative models for joint all-domain command and control.
Dec 3, 2020
Report
Multiple Dilemmas: Challenges and Options for All-Domain Command and Control
The authors examine potential command-and-control impediments to multidomain operations and propose alternative models for joint all-domain command and control.
Dec 3, 2020
Tool
Hedgemony: A Game of Strategic Choices
Hedgemony is a wargame designed to teach U.S. defense professionals how different strategies could affect key planning factors in the trade space at the intersection of force development, force management, force posture, and force employment.
Sep 21, 2020
Research Brief
Creating a Separate Space Force: Challenges and Opportunities for an Effective, Efficient, Independent Space Service
Taking into account the goals of effectiveness, efficiency, independence, and identity, the RAND Corporation proposed the activities that should transfer to the new Space Force and analyzed how best to sustain career fields in the small service.
Mar 13, 2020
Report
A Separate Space: Creating a Military Service for Space
As the United States creates the Space Force as a service within the Department of the Air Force, RAND assessed which units to bring into the Space Force, analyzed career field sustainability and drew lessons from other defense organizations.
Mar 13, 2020
Report
Understanding the Emerging Era of International Competition: Theoretical and Historical Perspectives
The new era of intensifying global competition is characterized by growing rivalry in the political, economic, and military spheres. This report summarizes the findings of a RAND Corporation study about the emerging era of international competition.
Dec 19, 2018
Report
Strategic Planning and the U.S. Air Force: Characteristics of Success
The U.S. Air Force has embarked on a new round of strategic planning under the auspices of its 2015 Strategic Master Plan. This report represents a general survey of the state of the art in strategy and planning.
Nov 10, 2017
Report
Pakistan: Can the United States Secure an Insecure State?
Exposits likely developments in Pakistan's security environment over the coming decade, assesses Pakistan's national will and capacity to solve its problems, and suggests related policies for the U.S. government to pursue.
Apr 5, 2010
Report
Preparing and Training for the Full Spectrum of Military Challenges: Insights from the Experiences of China, France, the United Kingdom, India, and Israel
The authors examine the militaries of China, France, the UK, India, and Israel to identify different approaches to readiness, adaptability, and operational issues in the context of full-spectrum operations and deployments.
Dec 14, 2009
Report
What It Takes: Air Force Command of Joint Operations
Discusses the theory and practice of joint task forces (JTFs), command-related developments in the Department of Defense, four JTFs, and requirements for JTF headquarters in order to develop recommendations for the U.S. Air Force to consider.
Jan 29, 2009
Report
Thinking About America's Defense: An Analytical Memoir
Lt Gen Glenn A. Kent offers a personal overview of analyses of dozens of historic national security issues drawn from his Air Force and RAND careers spanning the latter half of the 20th century.
Sep 29, 2008
Report
Department of Defense Training for Operations with Interagency, Multinational, and Coalition Partners
"Integrated operations" require the U.S. military to work with other government agencies, organizations, and foreign militaries. Current headquarter-staff training needs to be revamped to focus on high-priority tasks.
Aug 1, 2008