Michelle Grisé

In this report, RAND researchers study the causes of civilian harm in the 2017 battle for Raqqa, Syria, and provide insights into how the U.S. Department of Defense can reduce civilian harm in future operations.

The authors examine areas of convergence and divergence in the Belarus-Russia relationship, particularly regarding foreign and domestic policies, military and security cooperation, and economic and defense industrial ties. They also consider the regional perspectives of Belarus's neighbors--Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine--and how the Belarus-Russia relationship poses an evolving threat to those countries' security.

This report describes the 2021 U.S. Air Force-sponsored Plan Blue game, which examined competition against Russia in the Arctic with a focus on the role of sensing in competition and featured robust participation from regional partners and allies. The purpose of the game was to increase understanding of the capabilities, postures, and alliance command, control, and communication relationships that may be called for in future Arctic operations.

To what extent can the United States still cooperate with China and Russia in certain areas even in this era of strategic competition? On which issues? What are the obstacles, the potential benefits, and the risks associated with great power cooperation? This report, the first of a four-part series, presents the overarching findings of a study that explored these questions.

Because of the increasing militarization of Russian foreign policy since 2008, it is important to understand the formal authorities and responsibilities of the Russian General Staff as well as its capacity to influence Russia's national security decisionmaking process. In this report, the authors develop a foundational text for policymakers and warfighters to improve collective understanding of this institution.

In this report, RAND researchers examine the reasons behind Russia's evolution toward a unified strategic operation, as well as the capabilities that would be necessary to execute key conventional offensive tasks in such an operation. They focus on four capability areas: long-range conventional strikes against critical military and civilian targets, electronic warfare, counterspace actions, and cyberattacks against critical infrastructure.

The authors identify four pathways that Russia might take in reconstituting its armed forces after the end of the Russia-Ukraine war. They examine how historical Russian defense reforms; the performance of the Russian armed forces in the Ukraine conflict; and political, economic, demographic, technical, and foreign relations considerations will shape Russian decisionmaking on reconstitution.

Competition with near peers has become the defining U.S. national security priority in recent years, requiring the U.S. Army to rethink its roles and responsibilities. In support of Army efforts to better contribute to DoD's response to competition challenges, the authors reviewed relevant documentation; interviewed subject-matter experts; and examined overlaps between the existing supply of Army capabilities and the demands of competition.

VTo what extent can the United States still cooperate with China and Russia on global commons issues even in this era of strategic competition? This report, part of a four-part series, describes the potential for U.S. cooperation with China or Russia on eight global commons issues, including freedom of access to space, countering violent extremist organizations, and promoting global stability.

This report presents findings that identify (1) unmet needs for transitioning reserve component members, (2) the impact of current reserve component Transition Assistance Program (TAP) requirements on individuals and units, and (3) potential improvements to TAP. Drawing from these findings, the authors present recommendations for improving TAP's effectiveness in addressing reserve component members' transition needs.

The authors document the history of the Third Offset, a U.S. strategy that focused on the potential of technology to offset Chinese and Russian military advances and that shaped the 2018 National Defense Strategy. The authors describe efforts to effect change within the U.S. Department of Defense and interview key defense leaders who did so, providing an example of how to bring about organizational change in large military institutions.

In their investigation of the potential impact that the introduction of autonomous vehicles (AVs) could have on automobile insurance in the United States, researchers found that the existing U.S. auto insurance system should be sufficiently flexible to accommodate the initial introduction of AVs, particularly for operators of AV fleets. Consumer acceptance of AVs will be an important factor for new or adaptive automobile insurance frameworks.