Introduction -- Strategic Goals and Metrics for Quantum Industrial Base Assessment -- The United States' Quantum Industrial Base -- China's Quantum Industrial Base -- Findings and Recommendations.

A multi-year RAND project examined how to evaluate the tactical, operational, and strategic impact of non-lethal weapons (NLWs), a subset of intermediate force capabilities (IFCs). Researchers delineated the direct outputs and higher-level outcomes of NLW usage, considered how to measure their impact, and linked them to the strategic goals of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Their findings provided insight into how to better integrate NLWs throughout DoD. The logic model in this visualization is intended to help characterize the impact of NLWs within DoD. The model provides a structure in which activities are linked to direct outputs, which contribute to higher-level outcomes, then to ultimate strategic goals from the 2022 National Defense Strategy. Those goals include strengthening alliances and partnerships; improving competitive advantage over adversaries; building a resilient joint force and defense ecosystem; defending the homeland; deterring aggression and strategic attacks against the U.S., allies, and partners; and prevailing in conflict when necessary.

The authors of this report describe how to measure the impact of intermediate force capabilities (IFCs), which cause less-than-lethal effects, and how to better integrate them into wargaming, modeling, and simulation for U.S. and NATO-wide forces.

This report describes how to evaluate the impact of non-lethal weapons (NLWs). Characterizing the contribution of NLWs to strategic goals provides insights into their effective integration throughout U.S. Department of Defense operations.

Billions of dollars from industry have been poured into the development of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for future urban mobility. Air Force Research Laboratory founded Agility Prime to shape and accelerate the eVTOL market. In this report, the authors evaluate the utility the U.S. Air Force (USAF) might get from eVTOL aircraft, how much influence the USAF has on technical development and supply chains, and options to transition emerging commercial technology to the USAF to recommend an eVTOL strategy for the USAF. This research involved a literature review, expert discussions, operational modeling, aircraft performance modeling, electric charging and battery modeling, strategic modeling, and case studies. The main outputs are measures of eVTOL military utility, forecasted military market share, the future eVTOL supply chain geography, and feasible transition routes that the USAF could use to adopt eVTOL aircraft. Among the findings is that, while eVTOL aircraft could likely benefit select USAF missions, eVTOL aircraft are unlikely to be transformational to the USAF. Furthermore, injecting capital into eVTOL firms is not likely to have Agility Prime's desired effect of shaping the domestic eVTOL industry. The authors recommend that Agility Prime focus on two lines of effort: one for small-scale operational use and live experiments, and another to foster and continue collaboration with eVTOL companies in pursuit of autonomous flight. This research was completed in July 2022. It has not been subsequently revised.

Concerns about the financial solvency of the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) and the stability of supply chains that are key to national security prompted the U.S. government and Department of Defense (DoD) to make policy changes and investments to support the DIB during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The health of small businesses was of particular concern because these companies can have limited visibility in supply chains and are often more vulnerable to financial disruptions. In this exploratory analysis of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) data, the authors summarize investments in DIB businesses that received assistance during the early months of the pandemic (through mid-2020). Descriptive analytics of open source data revealed that the PPP offered financial assistance that reached many small businesses in the manufacturing industry, an important sector for national security supply chains whose production was especially hard hit by the COVID-19 crisis.

Logistics are often ignored or abstracted at a very high level during operational wargames. This report details a logistics game design that reflects the complexity of logistics systems without requiring computer aids. This game design is flexible enough to accommodate a variety of scenarios, objectives, and modifications.