Home | About |  AERADE@yoursite | Contact us | Help

Books

2002 Logistics Challenges

This is a collection of 9 essays, articles, and studies, published by the US Air Force Logistics Management Agency (AFLMA), February 2002. The collection covers a wide range of topics including maintenance support strategies, force support for the expeditionary air force, competitive sourcing and privatisation, military readiness and outsourcing and contingency operations. The text can be viewed online or downloaded in PDF format.

A Constrained Space Exploration Technology Program : Review of NASA's Exploration Technology Development Program

This gives access to a full text book provided by the National Academies Press dated November 2008. In January 2004, President George W. Bush announced the Vision for Space Exploration (VSE), which instructed NASA to "Extend human presence across the solar system, starting with a human return to the Moon by the year 2020, in preparation for human exploration of Mars and other destinations," among other objectives. As acknowledged in the VSE, significant technology development will be necessary to accomplish the goals it articulates. NASA s Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP) is designed to support, develop, and ultimately provide the necessary technologies to meet the goals of the VSE. This book, a review of the ETDP, is broadly supportive of the intent and goals of the VSE, and finds the ETDP is making progress towards the stated goals of technology development. However, the ETDP is operating within significant constraints which limit its ability to successfully accomplish those goals the still dynamic nature of the Constellation Program requirements, the constraints imposed by a limited budget, the aggressive time scale of early technology deliverables, and the desire to fully employ the NASA workforce. [Taken from abstract].

A History of Aeronautics

Written by E. Charles Vivian and originally published 1920 this is Project Gutenberg Release #874 (April 1997). This Project Gutenberg "etext", is distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart through the Project Gutenberg Association at Carnegie-Mellon University. It is available for on-screen browsing in text format and as a downloadable zip file, from a number of specified servers.

A Hundred Osamas: Islamist Threats and the Future of Counterinsurgency

This web sites provides access to a United States Strategic Studies Institute publication written by Sherifa Zuhur dated January 2006. This monograph takes its title from President Hosni Mubarak's prediction that American involvement in Iraq would give rise to a "hundred Osamas." The author explores "the new jihad" and the regeneration of Islamist insurgencies and extremist movements in the context of religious and political movements throughout the Muslim world. It describes the contributions of various Islamist leaders to this discourse of extremism and how their strategies of recruitment, retention and engagement function. In contrast, various U.S. responses to extremists are critiqued, and new elements of a counterstrategy are proposed. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software will be required in order to read it.

A Shield in Space? Technology, Politics and the Strategic Defense Initiative

The site provides access to a University of California Press publication, by Sanford Lakoff and Herbert F. York, dated 1989. It provides an analysis of the the research project begun in 1983 and officially known as the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) or, more popularly, as "Star Wars." The contents includes: Chapter 1 Why SDI?; Chapter 2 The Elusive Quest For Strategic Defenses Lessons of Recent History; Chapter 3 Measure for Measure The Technological Prospect; Chapter 4 A Defense Transition? SDI and Strategic Stability; Chapter 5 "Don't Ask the Soviets. Tell Them" SDI and Arms Control; Chapter 6 A "Maginot Line of the Twenty-first Century"? SDI and the Western Alliance; Chapter 7 Deploy or Perish SDI and Domestic Politics; Chapter 8 Calculating the Costs and Benefits; Chapter 9 Security Through Technology An Illusory Faith. The text is available in HTML format.

A Strategy for Research in Space Biology and Medicine into the Next Century

This is a full text book available from National Academies Press and produced by Committee on Space Biology and Medicine, National Research Council in the year 1998. This book addresses two major aspects connected with the construction of international space station. These include the use of low gravity as an experimental parameter to study fundamental biological processes and the study of the serious physiological changes that occur in astronauts as they remain in space for increasingly longer missions. The book provides a comprehensive review of ground-based and space research in eleven disciplines, ranging from bone physiology to plant biology. It also offers detailed, prioritized recommendations for research during the next decade, which are expected to have a considerable impact on the direction of NASA's research program. The volume is also a valuable reference tool for space and life scientists. The text is available in open book PDF form.

A-10s Over Kosovo

This site provides access to the full text of the Air University book edited by Christopher E. Haave and Phil M. Haun, published in December 2003. The book looks at the strategic policy of NATO's air campaign over Serbia and Kosovo in 1999 from the perspective of the pilots who flew during Operation Allied Force. The personal narratives are divided into eight chapters: The A-10 its missions and the hog units that flew in Operation Allied Force; mission leadership at the tactical level; beddown and maintenance; enemy action; target identification and rules of engagement; the great hunt for radars; tactical innovation and my turn in the barrel.

Achieving Effective Acquisition of Information Technology in the Department of Defense

This provides access to a U.S. Natinal Academies Press publication dated 2009. In the military, information technology (IT) has enabled profound advances in weapons systems and the management and operation of the defense enterprise. A significant portion of the Department of Defense (DOD) budget is spent on capabilities acquired as commercial IT commodities, developmental IT systems that support a broad range of warfighting and functional applications, and IT components embedded in weapons systems. The ability of the DOD and its industrial partners to harness and apply IT for warfighting, command and control and communications, logistics, and transportation has contributed enormously to fielding the world's best defense force. However, despite the DOD's decades of success in leveraging IT across the defense enterprise, the acquisition of IT systems continues to be burdened with serious problems. To address these issues, the National Research Council assembled a group of IT systems acquisition and T&E experts, commercial software developers, software engineers, computer scientists and other academic researchers. The group evaluated applicable legislative requirements, examined the processes and capabilities of the commercial IT sector, analyzed DOD's concepts for systems engineering and testing in virtual environments, and examined the DOD acquisition environment. The present volume summarizes this analysis and also includes recommendations on how to improve the acquisition, systems engineering, and T&E processes to achieve the DOD's network-centric goals. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required.

Advanced Technologies for Human Support in Space

This is the report of a study conducted by the National Research Council Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board Committee. It was intended to evaluate and review the NASA Office of Life and Microgravity Sciences and Applications (OLMSA) programs in Human Support and assess their effectiveness in meeting the strategic goals of the Office. The executive summary is shown in HTML while the full report version is shown in Book Object format, and is best viewed by a browser capable of viewing tables.

AEA Yearbook

This site provides access to recent issues of the Yearbook produced by the Association of European Airlines (AEA). The Yearbook analyses the performance of AEA member airlines under a number of topics including: technical developments, fleet, traffic and capacity, fares and yields, productivity and operating results. Airline profiles and basic airline statistics are also included. The statistical appendices cover: traffic, capacity and production data on the major geographical route areas, for member airlines of the AEA. The Yearbook and statistical appendices are available online in PDF format.

Aerodynamics for Students

This is a Web textbook about aerodynamics aimed primarily at undergraduate level. It has been written by D. J. Auld of the faculty of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering at the University of Sydney, Australia and is intended primarily for their use.

The contents are broken down into 7 main topics:

• Part 1. Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics
• Part 2. Introduction to Flight Operations and Instrumentation
• Part 3. Subsonic Aerodynamics
• Part 4. Gasdynamics (Supersonic Aerodynamics)
• Part 5. Aircraft Performance
• Part 6. Propulsion
• Part 7. Aeroelasticity

Aerodynamics of Bicycles

This is a brief tutorial about the aerodynamics of bicycles. It has been co-written by A. J. Smits and B. S. H. Royce of the Gas Dynamics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University. The tutorial covers topics such as wind speeds and directions, the characteristics of fluids, pressure, streamlining, transition and turbulence, separation, drag, lift and stall. Please note that some of the "useful links" at the bottom of the tutorial are broken.

Aeronautics Innovation: NASA's Challenges and Opportunities

NASA is a global leader in aeronautics research and development — fostering advances in aviation safety and emissions, propulsion technology, and many other areas. The agency's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) has played a vital role in the U.S. aeronautics industry. In recent years, the directorate's leaders and experts outside the agency have sought ways to speed innovative uses of ARMD's research results. But the directorate faces management challenges that make it difficult for such applications to succeed — or to occur at all. This report from the National Academies' National Research Council, offers the agency guidance on how to manage the transfer of technology to external users, as well as implement flexible personnel and financial-management practices. The report also points out problems that stem from a lack of agreement on ARMD's future direction and several years of federal budget cuts. Free registration gives access to full text online avilable for downloaded in PDF format.

Aeroplanes and Dirigibles of War

Written by Frederick A, Talbot and now a Project Gutenberg release 793# (January 1997). Ever since the earliest days of the great conquest of the air, first by the dirigible balloon and then by the aeroplane, their use in time of war has been a fruitful theme for discussion. But their arrival was of too recent a date, their many utilities too unexplored to provide anything other than theories, many obviously untenable, others avowedly problematical.Yet the part airships have played in the Greatest War has come as a surprise even to their most convinced advocates. For every expectation shattered, they have shown a more than compensating possibility of usefulness. [Taken from introduction]. It is available for on screen browsing in text format and as a downloadable zip file from a number of specified servers.

Aerospace Power : Case for Indivisible Application

This provides access to a United States Air Force Academy, Air University Press publication written by Grover E. Myers and dated 1986. Air power doctrine is comprised of both a formal literature such as the Army's Field Manual 100-20, Command and Employment of Air Power (published during World War II), or today's Air Force Manual 1-1, Basic Aerospace Doctrine of the United States Air Force, and an informal and uncodified set of doctrinal perceptions that, although they are not in the official literature, affect the way our military forces do business. This second category, the unofficial doctrine, represents a sort of corporate consensus of "how we really do business" and is generally based on a combination of "real world" observations and political necessity. This study addressed just such an unofficial doctrine. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Aerospace Power in the Twenty-First Century : Basic Primer

This provides access to United States Air Force Academy, Air University Press publication written by Clayton K. S. Chun and dated July 2001. This book provides the reader with many of these time-tested ideas for consideration and reflection. Although Aerospace Power in the Twenty-First Century was written for future officers, individuals desiring a broad overview of aerospace power are invited to read, share, and discuss many of the ideas and thoughts presented here. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

After Saddam : Prewar Planning and the Occupation of Iraq

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Nora Bensahel ...[et al] dated 2008. This monograph begins by examining prewar planning efforts for postwar Iraq, in order to establish what U.S. policymakers expected the postwar situation to look like and what their plans were for reconstruction. The monograph then examines the role of U.S. military forces after major combat officially ended on May 1, 2003; the analysis covers this period through the end of June 2004. Finally, the monograph examines civilian efforts at reconstruction after major combat ended, focusing on the activities of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) and its efforts to rebuild structures of governance, security forces, economic policy, and essential services prior to June 28, 2004, the day that the CPA dissolved and transferred authority to the Interim Iraqi Government. The authors conclude that the U.S. government was unprepared for the challenges of postwar Iraq for three reasons: a failure to challenge fundamental assumptions about postwar Iraq; ineffective interagency coordination; and the failure to assign responsibility and resources for providing security in the immediate aftermath of major combat operations. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is vaialbale in PDf format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

After Saddam : Prewar Planning and the Occupation of Iraq

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Nora Bensahel ...[et al] dated 2008. This monograph begins by examining prewar planning efforts for postwar Iraq, in order to establish what U.S. policymakers expected the postwar situation to look like and what their plans were for reconstruction. The monograph then examines the role of U.S. military forces after major combat officially ended on May 1, 2003; the analysis covers this period through the end of June 2004. Finally, the monograph examines civilian efforts at reconstruction after major combat ended, focusing on the activities of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) and its efforts to rebuild structures of governance, security forces, economic policy, and essential services prior to June 28, 2004, the day that the CPA dissolved and transferred authority to the Interim Iraqi Government. The authors conclude that the U.S. government was unprepared for the challenges of postwar Iraq for three reasons: a failure to challenge fundamental assumptions about postwar Iraq; ineffective interagency coordination; and the failure to assign responsibility and resources for providing security in the immediate aftermath of major combat operations. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is vaialbale in PDf format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

After the War : Nation-Building from FDR to George W. Bush

This gives access to a Rand Organization publication written by James Dobbins, Michele A. Poole, Austin Long, Benjamin Runkle and dated 2008. In recent decades, the United States' overwhelming military superiority has allowed it to “overawe” or overrun adversaries with comparative ease. However, consolidating victory and preventing a renewal of conflict has usually taken more time, energy, and resources than originally foreseen. Few recent efforts of this sort can be regarded as unqualified successes, and one or two must be accounted as clear failures. Prior RAND research examined the factors that contribute to this success or failure, including the natures of the society being reformed and of the conflict being terminated, as well as the quality and quantity of the military and civil assets of external actors. This volume addresses the manner in which U.S. policy toward postconflict reconstruction has been created and implemented and the effect that these processes have had on mission outcomes. Through the lens of presidential decisionmaking style and administrative structure, from the post-World War II era through the Cold War, post-Cold War era, and current war on terrorism, it is both possible and necessary to reassess how these elements can work in favor of, as well as against, the nation-building goals of the U.S. government and military and those of its coalition partners and allies. [Taken from abstract]. The full text of the document is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order tgo read it.

Ageing of U.S. Air Force Aircraft: Final Report

This report was written by the Committee on Ageing of U.S. Air Force Aircraft (National Research Council) in 1997. It provides a strategy to address the technical needs and priorities associated with the Air Force's aging airframe structures. The book includes a detailed summary of the structural status of the aging force, identification of key technical issues, recommendations for near-term engineering and management actions, and prioritized near-term and long-term research recommendations. The full text is available online in Open Book format and a summary is available in HTML.

Aging Avionics in Military Aircraft

This electronic book addresses the issue of the aging of the United States' military aircraft, particularly in terms of avionics systems. It was published in 2001 by the Committee on Aging Avionics in Military Aircraft, Air Force Science and Technology Board, National Research Council, and is available in HTML or PDF format.

Air Expeditionary Operations from World War II Until Today : Proceedings of the 2008 RAAF History Conference

This gives access to a Royal Australian AirForce Air Power Development Centre conference proceedings edited by Keith Brent and dated April 2009. This conference is designed to explore these questions through over half a century of experience in air expeditionary operations. We will cover the RAAF’s global deployments in World War II through to our more recent air operations in Iraq in 2003. [Taken from the opening address]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Air Force Role in Low-Intensity Conflict

This provides access to a United States Air Force, Air University Press publication written by David J. Dean and dated 1986. Colonel Dean examines the increasing importance of third world countries in global affairs. Their vital natural resources and geostrategic locations make them the object of intense competition between the superpowers and a ripe target for a new category of conflict. Because of the high probability of US involvement in third world conflicts, we must adapt our resources to acquire the flexibility demanded by low-intensity conflict. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format soAdobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Air Transport Association (ATA)

The ATA is the trade organisation that represents 14 principal US airlines. Its role is to support its member carriers by promoting the air transport industry. The site contains links to member airlines, press releases, industry statistics, events calendar, publications lists, and information reports on the activities of the Association's various committees and working groups. Also featured on the site is the Airline Handbook. The contents of this HTML electronic text include a brief history of aviation, deregulation, structure of the industry, airline economics, how aircraft fly, safety, airports, air traffic control, airlines and the environment and the future of aviation.

Air Warfare

This provides access to a United States Air Force, Air University Press publication written by William C. Sherman dated 2002. Since this study was published initially in 1926, designers, engineers, pilots, and students of aviation have had an opportunity to discern its merits and to analyze its shortcomings. Still, in that historic year, with the public reeling from the outcome of the Scopes Monkey Trial, Charles Lindbergh's solo transcontinental flight, and the Billy Mitchell trail and verdict, William C. Sherman advanced a need for aerial navigation and cogently told us of the merits of flying. Coming at a time when flying was in its infancy, the book ushered in a new era in airpower historiography. Sherman relied on an assortment of illustrations to buttress his contention that aerial navigation will play a large role in the future of air tactics. Readers may not be pleased with the paucity of citations and the absence of a bibliography, but Sherman makes it clear that Air Warfare was based on his notes while he was an instructor at the Air Service Tactical School and at the Command and General Staff School. Air Warfare advances our understanding of aerial navigation so much so that Sherman can take credit for being the inspiration behind some of the technology currently used in military operations. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance for the Future Australian Defence Force

This provides access to a Royal Australian Air Force Air Power Development Centre publication written by Travis Hallen and dated August 2009. A military force’s ability to ‘know’ their adversary and the environment in which they are operating is regarded as a key determinant in military success. In the vernacular of information age warfare this ability is represented by ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance). ISR is recognised as a key capability of the seamless Australian Defence Force envisioned in Joint Operations for the 21st Century, with airborne ISR playing a key role in the dynamic operating environment of the future. This book complements the ADF’s current ISR capability development efforts by outlining a future airborne ISR concept designed to meet the needs of the future force envisioned in Joint Operations for the 21st Century. It provides an appreciation of what airborne ISR must provide commanders across all operating domains and outlines an airborne ISR planning methodology that optimises the use of airborne ISR in the seamless ADF. The airborne ISR concept outlined in this book provides a foundation on which the ADF can position itself to meet the challenges the future holds. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Airhead Operations : Where AMC Delivers -Linchpin of Rapid Force Projection

This provides access to a United States Air Force, Air University Press publication written by John L. Cirafici and dated 1995. Colonel Cirafici reviews airhead activity in contingencies during World War II and in operations Urgent Fury, Just Cause, Desert Shield/Storm and Restore Hope. He examines the newly activated Air Mobility Command (AMC) structure within the theater and discusses the Somali civil war to illustrate how airhead's air mobility forces fit into the overall scheme of force deployment, reassembly, employment, and sustainment. Colonel Cirafici identifies some problems and needed improvements and recommends that AMC look beyond past successes and provide greater effort toward training and exercises to promote jointness at all operational levels. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Airlift Doctrine

This provides access to a United States Air Force, Air University Press publication written by Charles E. Miller and dated 1998. Colonel Miller shows how the worldwide orientation of American foreign policy, the numerous threats to free-world interests, and the speed and complexity of modern warfare have combined with political and resource constraints to produce today's airlift doctrine and force structure. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Airline Handbook

This resource is produced by the Air Transport Association of America, this electronic text provides an overview of the history of aviation, deregulation, airline economics, how aircraft fly, safety, airports, air traffic control, airlines and the environment and the future of aviation. It is available free of charge in PDF format.

Airmen and Air Theory : A Review of the Sources

This site provides access to the full text of the Air University book written by Phillip S. Meilinger, published in 2001. This book is in the form of an annotated bibliography of sources on air power strategy. The first part, titled Biographies and Autobiographies, was originally published as American Airpower Biography: A Survey of the field in 1995 and 1997 and looks at airmen, anthologies and oral history. The second part, titled The Historiography of Airpower Theory and Doctrine, was originally published in the April 2000 issue of Journal of Military History, and looks at early thinking, the Air Corps tactical school, US and European theorists, the current debate and anthologies on modern air power.

Airplane Flying Handbook

Published by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Airman Testing Standards Branch in 2004, the Handbook is designed as a technical manual to introduce basic pilot skills and knowledge that are essential for piloting airplanes. It provides information on transition to other airplanes and the operation of various airplane systems. It introduces the future pilot to the realm of flight and provides information and guidance in the performance of procedures and manoeuvres required for pilot certification. Topics such as navigation and communication, meteorology, use of flight information publications, regulations, and aeronautical decision making are available in other Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) publications. In this electronic format the several chapters are grouped together in PDF format files; the cover, preface, table of contents, glossary and index are also included.

Airpower and Ground Armies : Essays on the Evolution of Anglo-American Air Doctrine, 1940-1943

This provides access to a United States Air Force, Air University Press publication written by Daniel R. Mortensen and dated 1998. These four independent essays provide a perspective on airpower doctrine development that varies somewhat from the usual view. Essay 1 describes the organization, doctrine, operational practices, and personality of the air forces in the western desert from 1940 to 1943. Essay 2 describes and analyzes the events in northwest Africa during Operation Torch while the third analyzes the machination in policy development in Washington. Essay 4 analyzes the great tactical aviation exercise in northwest Europe, emphasizing the famous cooperation between George S. Patton and Otto P. Weyland. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Airpower and Maneuver Warfare

This provides access to a United States Air Force, Air University Press publication written by Martin van Creveld, Kenneth S. Brower, and Steven L. Canby and dated 1994. The authors identify and discuss the fundamental concepts and principles of maneuver warfare, compare and contrast it to attrition-style warfare, and trace its origins and history. They examine the role of airpower in enhancing maneuver during the early German campaigns of World War II, in Germany's 1941 Russian campaigns, and in the Soviet version of maneuver warfare in World War II. They analyze the importance of airpower in maneuver warfare employed by Israel in the 1967 and 1973 wars and by coalition forces in the Gulf War. Dr. van Creveld forecasts what the role of airpower will be in warfare during the coming years. The book includes a response to the authors by the air doctrine analysts at Air University. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Airpower and the Ground War in Vietnam : Ideas and Actions

This provides access to a United States Air Froce, Air University Press publication written by Donald J. Mrozek and dated 1988. Dr. Mrozek focuses on expectations concerning the impact of airpower on the ground war. He describes some of the actual effects but avoids treatment of some of the most dramatic air actions of the war, such as the bombing of Hanoi. He observes that the application of airpower is influenced by factors far beyond the battlefield. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Airpower in Three Wars : WWII, Korea, Vietnam

This site provides access to the full text of the Air University book written by William W. Momyer, first published in 1978 and reprinted with a new preface by the author in 2003. The chapters in the book look at the strategy of air power; command and control of air power; command and control of air power in the Vietnam War; the counter air battle or air superiority; interdiction during World War Two, Korea and Vietnam; air power and the ground battle; and blunting the attack with airpower.

Airpower Leadership on the Front Line Lt Gen George H. Brett and Combat Command

This provides access to a United States Air Force, air University Press publication written by Douglas A. Cox and dated 2006. Colonel Cox examines the command of Lt Gen George H. Brett in his wartime assignments. General Brett’s leadership did not take him to four stars, why? Cox looks at the reasons why he was not promoted, especially, as he began his war time service second in command to Gen Henry “Hap” Arnold. In his examination Cox shows the reader Brett’s outstanding leadership, his limitations, and delves into the interplay of broader factors that ultimately impacted General Brett’s career. This book provides insight toward becoming an effective commander and leader. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Airpower Myths and Facts

This site provides access to the full text of the Air University book written by Phillip S. Meilinger, published in December 2003. This book looks at the debates on air power and strategic bombing. It is laid out into chapters which explore common aspects of the debate, these include: funding of the Army Air Corps between the World Wars; World War Two strategic bombing doctrine; Second World War emphasis on area bombing; the impact of aerial bombing on morale; effects of strategic bombing; failure of air power during Vietnam; focus on strategic attack during the 1991 Persian Gulf War; and the ethics of strategic bombing and civilian casualties.

Alternative Technologies to Replace Antipersonnel Landmines

Written by the Committee on Alternative Technologies to Replace Anti-Personnel Landmines for the Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems, Office of International Affairs, National Research Council. This book looks at alternatives to anti-personnel landmines. It provides a history of the use of landmines, their role in warfare, capabilities, and alternatives available at present and in the future.

Amateur Built Aircraft and Ultralight Flight Testing Handbook

Published by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as Advisory Circular (AC) 90-89A in May 1995, this document presents suggestions and safety related recommendations to assist amateur and ultralight builders in developing individualized aircraft flight test plans. The text of the document is available in PDF (797.98 Kb) format.

America's Future in Space : Aligning the Civil Space Program with National Needs

This provides access to a National Academies Press publication dated 2009. As civil space policies and programs have evolved, the geopolitical environment has changed dramatically. Although the U.S. space program was originally driven in large part by competition with the Soviet Union, the nation now finds itself in a post-Cold War world in which many nations have established, or are aspiring to develop, independent space capabilities. Furthermore discoveries from developments in the first 50 years of the space age have led to an explosion of scientific and engineering knowledge and practical applications of space technology. The private sector has also been developing, fielding, and expanding the commercial use of space-based technology and systems. Recognizing the new national and international context for space activities, America's Future in Space is meant to advise the nation on key goals and critical issues in 21st century U.S. civil space policy. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

America's Future in Space : Aligning the Civil Space Program with National Needs

This provides access to a national Academies Press publication dated 2009. As civil space policies and programs have evolved, the geopolitical environment has changed dramatically. Although the U.S. space program was originally driven in large part by competition with the Soviet Union, the nation now finds itself in a post-Cold War world in which many nations have established, or are aspiring to develop, independent space capabilities. Furthermore discoveries from developments in the first 50 years of the space age have led to an explosion of scientific and engineering knowledge and practical applications of space technology. The private sector has also been developing, fielding, and expanding the commercial use of space-based technology and systems. Recognizing the new national and international context for space activities, America's Future in Space is meant to advise the nation on key goals and critical issues in 21st century U.S. civil space policy. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat softwareis requiredin order to read it.

American X-Vehicles : An Inventory X-1 to X-50

This is the full text in PDF format of NASA SP 2003 4531, number 31 of the Monographs in Space History series. It was written by by Dennis R. Jenkins, Tony Landis, and Jay Miller and was published in June 2003. It provides a history of US research aircraft including details where applicable such as first and last flight, total flights, sponsors, highest flight and fastest flight for each.

An Argument for Documenting Casualties : Violence Against Iraqi Civilians 2006

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication dated 2007 and written by Katherine Hall and Dale Stahl. Protecting the civilian population is one of the central tenets of U.S. counterinsurgency doctrine. Until very recently, however, the U.S. military has not had a formal system for documenting the level of violence directed against Iraqi civilians. Therefore, other groups (such as nongovernmental organizations, the United Nations, and Iraqi ministries) have filled the vacuum in reporting, relying on media accounts, surveys, death certificates, and other open-source information to generate datasets of varying transparency and quality. The resulting statistics have generated widespread debate over sources, methods, and political biases. This study examines available open-source data on Iraqi civilian fatalities and assesses problems associated with previous collection and analysis efforts. The authors present a more robust RAND Corporation Iraqi civilian violence dataset from which they derive new observations about trends in targeting and weapons in 2006. RAND's dataset reveals that the majority of attacks in the year 2006 against civilians were directed against individuals without any identifiable affiliation, and that most attacks were carried out using firearms (rather than via improvised explosive devices or suicide attacks). These findings lead to a proposed framework for future civilian fatality data-collection in Iraq and beyond. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

An Assessment of Non-Lethal Weapons Science and Technology

Produced by the Committee for an Assessment of Non-Lethal Weapons Science and Technology, National Research Council. This is a full-text publication that aims to assess current and potential areas for science and technology development in non-lethal weapons to support naval expeditionary forces.

An Assessment of Undersea Weapons Science and Technology

Written at the request of the Office of Naval Research by the Committee for Undersea Weapons Science and Technology under the Naval Studies Board, National Reasearch Council. This book looks at scientific and technological developments in this area covering both current programmes and future naval undersea weapons.

Analysis of Strategy and Strategies of Analysis

This gives access to a Rand Organization publication written by David C. Gompert, Paul K. Davis, Stuart E. Johnson, Duncan Long and dated 2008. In a fluid global security environment such as ours, assessing the costs, risks, and likely consequences of alternative national defense strategies is as hard as it is essential. The “Global War on Terror,” for example, has cost as much as $800 billion more than was first projected. Too often, strategies are chosen without disciplined analysis in response to external events and under pressures of time and politics. The authors show how, even in the face of uncertainty, the costs and other implications of any strategy can be assessed by examining the capabilities needed by U.S. combatant commands — the chief agents of strategy — to fulfill what the strategy expects of them. They then demonstrate how such “outside-in” strategy assessment can be integrated with “inside-out” analysis of how core national strengths can best be exploited in national defense. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Analysis of the Air Force Logistics Enterprise Evaluation of Global Repair Network Options for Supporting the F-16 and KC-135

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Ronald G. McGarvey ...[et al] and dated 2009. Changes in the operational environment may warrant changes in the Air Force's logistics infrastructure and concepts of operation, which are still largely based on assumptions developed during the Cold War. Recognizing the importance of the logistics enterprise, the Air Force has initiated interrelated activities to transform current logistics processes to improve support to operational units. As part of this effort, RAND was asked to undertake a comprehensive strategic reassessment of the entire Air Force logistics enterprise, examining the logistics workload, how that workload should be accomplished, and how these issues should be revisited over time. The analyses presented in this monograph show how F-16 and KC-135 aircraft maintenance units can be reconfigured to support mission generation operations, with “heavy maintenance,” such as phase inspections for fighter aircraft, being provided by an enterprise network of centralized repair facilities. This approach utilizes optimization models to identify options that either exceed current maintenance capabilities at current cost levels or meet required capability levels at reduced cost. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Analytic Support to Intelligence in Counterinsurgencies

This gives access to a Rand Organization publication written by Walter L. Perry and John Gordon, dated 2008. Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have shown that U.S. forces need more-effective techniques and procedures to conduct counterinsurgency. It is likely that U.S. forces will face similar, irregular warfare tactics from future enemies that are unwilling to engage in conventional combat with U.S. forces. This monograph examines the nature of the contemporary insurgent threat and provides insights on using operational analysis techniques to support intelligence operations in counterinsurgencies. The authors examine the stages of an insurgency and discuss the kinds of intelligence that are needed at each stage. A number of techniques — pattern discernment and predictive analysis, for example — appear to show promise of being useful to intelligence analysis. The authors also explore two closely connected methods in depth to examine the interactions between friendly and enemy forces: game theory and change detection. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is avaialble in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Apollo by the Numbers : a Statistical Reference

Written by Richard W. Orloff of the NASA History Division, this full text report is available in HTML format. It is an update of NASA publication 2000-4029, and incorporates comments, suggestions and corrections received by the author since its original publication. This version contains the complete text, tables and updated information, but lacks many of the images included in the printed copy. The report presents statistical information about each of the Apollo flights that was not previously easily accessible. Information provided includes: crew information, launch vehicle/spacecraft key facts, launch vehicle propellant usage, ground ignition weights, ascent data and lunar surface experiments.

Applied Aerodynamics : A Digital Textbook : Demonstration Version

This site provides a demonstration version of this text dated August 1997. It was developed for a course in applied aerodynamics at Stanford University by Ilan Kroo, a professor in aeronautics and astronautics at Stanford. Several chapters that appear in the released version are not present. The textbook is available in HTML format. Topics covered include fluid fundamentals, 2D potential flow, airfoils, 2D and 3D compressibility, boundary layers, 3D potential flow, 3D viscosity, wing design and configuration aerodynamics.

Approaches to Future Space Cooperation and Competition in a Globalizing World : Summary of a Workshop

This provides access to a National Academies Press publication written by James V. Zimmmerman and dated 2009. Numerous countries and regions now have very active space programs, and the number is increasing. These maturing capabilities around the world create a plethora of potential partners for cooperative space endeavors, while at the same time heightening competitiveness in the international space arena. This book summarizes a public workshop held in November 2008 for the purpose of reviewing past and present cooperation, coordination, and competition mechanisms for space and Earth science research and space exploration; identifying significant lessons learned; and discussing how those lessons could best be applied in the future, particularly in the areas of cooperation and collaboration. Presentations and initial discussion focused on past and present experiences in international cooperation and competition to identify "lessons learned." Those lessons learned were then used as the starting point for subsequent discussions on the most effective ways for structuring future cooperation or coordination in space and Earth science research and space exploration. The goal of the workshop was not to develop a specific model for future cooperation or coordination, but rather to explore the advantages and disadvantages of various approaches and stimulate further deliberation on this important topic. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Architects of American Air Supremacy : General Hap Arnold and Dr Theodore von Karman

This provides access to a U.S. Air University Press publication written by Dik A. Daso and dated September 1997. In this book, Dik Daso tells the story of the founding of the scientific and technological base of today's USAF. But this work is much more than simply a history of technology. The SAG (Scientifi Advisory Group) was a culminating point reached only after many years of building interpersonal relationships, developing industrial bonds and tapping into the wisdom of America's most influential scientists. In large measure this book reflects the symbiotic nature of the military and the society which it serves. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Army and its Air Corps : Army Policy toward Aviation 1919–1941

This provides access to a U.S. Air University publication written by James T. Tate and published July 1998. From the Armistice in 1918 to the late 1930s, there was continuous controversy over the place of aviation in the military establishment. This book details how airpower visionaries, with varying degrees of tact, often risked charges of insubordination in preaching the gospel of airpower. As aviation technology advanced and as Army leaders were "educated" in the capabilities of aircraft, they showed genuine interest in the potential of airpower. The author contends that their decisions often favored the Air Corps and that the Air arm received a lion's share of the Army budget during a period of extreme austerity. Dr. Tate states that the Air Corps, far from being a stepchild, had become a princess by the late 1930s. . [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Assessing Medical Preparedness to Respond to a Terrorist Nuclear Event : Workshop Report

This provides access to a National Academies Press publication edited by Georges C. Benjamin, Michael McGeary, and Susan R. McCutchen dated 2009. A nuclear attack on a large U.S. city by terrorists--even with a low-yield improvised nuclear device (IND) of 10 kilotons or less--would cause a large number of deaths and severe injuries. The large number of injured from the detonation and radioactive fallout that would follow would be overwhelming for local emergency response and health care systems to rescue and treat, even assuming that these systems and their personnel were not themselves incapacitated by the event. The United States has been struggling for some time to address and plan for the threat of nuclear terrorism and other weapons of mass destruction that terrorists might obtain and use. The Department of Homeland Security recently contracted with the Institute of Medicine to hold a workshop, summarized in this volume, to assess medical preparedness for a nuclear detonation of up to 10 kilotons. This book provides a candid and sobering look at our current state of preparedness for an IND, and identifies several key areas in which we might begin to focus our national efforts in a way that will improve the overall level of preparedness. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Assessing the Biological Weapons and Bioterrorism Threat

This web site provides access to a United States Strategic Studies Institute publication written by Milton Leitenberg dated December 2005. It is nearly 15 years since biological weapons (BW) have become a significant national security preoccupation. This occurred primarily due to circumstances occurring within a short span of years. First was the official U.S. Government suggestion that proliferation of offensive BW programs among states and even terrorist groups was an increasing trend; second was the discovery, between 1989 and 1992, that the Union USSR had violated the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) since its ratification in 1975 by building a massive covert biological weapons program; third was the corroboration by the UN Special Commission in 1995 that Iraq had maintained a covert biological weapons program since 1974, and had produced and stockpiled large quantities of agents and delivery systems between 1988 and 1991; and, fourth was the discovery, also in 1995, that the Japanese Aum Shinrikyo group, which had carried out the nerve gas attack in the Tokyo subway system, also had spent 4 years attempting—albeit unsuccessfully—to produce and disperse two pathogenic biological agents. The distribution of professionally prepared anthrax spores through the U.S. postal system in the weeks afterwards September 11, 2001, magnified previous concerns by orders of magnitude. In December 2002, after U.S. forces had overrun much of the territory of Afghanistan, it was discovered that the al-Qaida organization also had spent several years trying to obtain the knowledge and means to produce biological agents. These new factors shifted the context in which BW was considered almost entirely to "bioterrorism." Within 4 years, almost $30 billion in federal expenditure was appropriated to counter the anticipated threat. This response took place in the absence of virtually any threat analysis. The purpose of this monograph is to begin to fill that gap. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software will be required in order to read it.

Assessing the Human Health Risks of Trichloroethylene

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press and published 2006. Trichloroethylene is a solvent used widely as a degreasing agent. It is a common environmental contaminant at Superfund sites and at many industry and government facilities, including certain manufacturing operations (e.g., aircraft, spacecraft). Releases to air occur primarily from degreasing operations. Trichloroethylene is also found in soils and surface water as a result of direct discharges and in groundwater due to leaching from disposal operations. Indoor air can become contaminated because of volatilization from contaminated water supplies and use of certain consumer products. Vapor intrusion through walls and floors can be a source of indoor exposure in buildings near contaminated groundwater. To help protect the public from potential health effects caused by exposure to trichloroethylene, government agencies conduct risk assessments to develop exposure guidelines intended to restrict human contact with the chemical. This requires consideration of a great deal of scientific information on trichloroethylene. There has been much debate about the quality of some sources of information and how to assess the collective evidence. Because several government agencies share responsibility for cleaning contaminated sites, an interagency group composed of the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration requested that the National Research Council (NRC) provide independent guidance on scientific issues related to trichloroethylene. In response to this request, the NRC convened the Committee on Human Health Risks of Trichloroethylene, which prepared this report. [Taken from report]. The full text of the report can be read in open book format from the website of the National Academies Press.

Assessment of Balance in NASA's Science Programs

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press and published in 2006. When the space exploration initiative was announced, Congress asked the NRC to review the science NASA proposed to carryout under the initiative. It also asked the NRC to assess whether this program would provide balanced scientific research across the established disciplines supported by NASA in addition to supporting the new initiative. In 2005, the NRC released three studies focusing on a portion of that task, but changes at NASA forced the postponement of the last phase. This report presents that last phase with an assessment of the health of the NASA scientific disciplines under the budget requests imposed by the exploration initiative. The report also provides an analysis of whether the science budget appropriately reflects cross-disciplinary scientific priorities. [Taken from abstract]. The full text of the report can be read in open book format from website of the National Academies Press.

Assessment of Department of Defense Basic Research

The US Department of Defense (DOD) supports basic research to advance fundamental knowledge in fields important to US national defence. Over the past six years, however, there have been concerns that the nature of DOD-funded basic research is changing. To explore these concerns, the Congress directed DOD to request a study from the National Research Council (NRC) about the nature of basic research now being funded by the Department. This document reports on the study's findings and recommendations. It is available in full text and was published by the National Academies Press in 2005.

Assessment of Directions in Microgravity and Physical Sciences Research at NASA

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press and produced by the Committee on Microgravity Research, National Research Council. The book assesses the past impact and current status of microgravity research programs in combustion, fluid dynamics, fundamental physics, and materials science and gives recommendations for promising topics of future research in each discipline. Guidance is given for setting priorities across disciplines by assessing each recommended topic in terms of the probability of its success and the magnitude of its potential impact on scientific knowledge and understanding; terrestrial applications and industry technology needs; and NASA technology needs. At NASA s request, the book also contains an examination of emerging research fields such as nanotechnology and biophysics, and makes recommendations regarding topics that might be suitable for integration into NASA s microgravity program. The text is available in open book PDF form.

Assessment of NASA's National Aviation Operations Monitoring Service

This provides access to a National Academies Press publication dated 2009. The National Research Council of the National Academies was requested by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to perform an independent assessment of NASA's National Aviation Operations Monitoring Service (NAOMS) project, which was a survey administered to pilots from April 2001 through December 2004. The NRC reviewed various aspects of the NAOMS project, including the survey methodology, and conducted a limited analysis of the publicly available survey data. An Assessment of NASA's National Aviation Operations Monitoring Service presents the resulting analyses and findings. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDf format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order.

Assessment of Options for Extending the Life of the Hubble Space Telescope : Final Report

This is a full text book available from National Academies Press and produced by the Committee on the Assessment of Options for Extending the Life of the Hubble Space Telescope, National Research Council. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has operated continuously since 1990. During that time, four space shuttle-based service missions were launched, three of which added major observational capabilities. A fifth SM-4 was intended to replace key telescope systems and install two new instruments. The loss of the space shuttle Columbia, however, resulted in a decision by NASA not to pursue the SM-4 mission leading to a likely end of Hubble s useful life in 2007-2008. This situation resulted in an unprecedented outcry from scientists and the public. As a result, NASA began to explore and develop a robotic servicing mission; and Congress directed NASA to request a study from the National Research Council (NRC) of the robotic and shuttle servicing options for extending the life of Hubble. This report presents an assessment of those two options. It provides an examination of the contributions made by Hubble and those likely as the result of a servicing mission, and a comparative analysis of the potential risk of the two options for servicing Hubble. The study concludes that the Shuttle option would be the most effective one for prolonging Hubble s productive life.

Assessment of Planetary Protection Requirements for Mars Sample Return Missions

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on the Review of Planetary Protection Requirements for Mars Sample Return Missions; National Research Council and dated 2009. NASA maintains a planetary protection policy to avoid the forward biological contamination of other worlds by terrestrial organisms, and back biological contamination of Earth from the return of extraterrestrial materials by spaceflight missions. Forward-contamination issues related to Mars missions. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available online in open book format.

Assessment of the NASA Astrobiology Institute

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on the Review of the NASA Astrobiology Institute, National Research Council and dated 2008. Astrobiology is a scientific discipline devoted to the study of life in the universe - its origin, evolution, distribution, and future. In 1997, NASA established an Astrobiology program (the NASA Astrobiology Institute - NAI) as a result of a series of new results from solar system exploration and astronomical research in the mid-1990s together with advances in the biological sciences. To help evaluate the NAI, NASA asked the NRC to review progress made by the Institute in developing the field of astrobiology. This book presents an evaluation of NAI's success in meeting its goals for fostering interdisciplinary research, training future astrobiology researchers, providing scientific and technical leadership, exploring new research approaches with information technology, and supporting outreach to K-12 education programs. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Assessment of the Small Business Innovation Research Program at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

This provides access to a National Academies Press publication dated 2009. The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is one of the largest examples of U.S. public-private partnerships. Founded in 1982, SBIR was designed to encourage small business to develop new processes and products and to provide quality research in support of the many missions of the U.S. government, including health, energy, the environment, and national defense. In response to a request from the U.S. Congress, the National Research Council assessed SBIR as administered by the five federal agencies that together make up 96 percent of program expenditures. This book, one of six in the series, reports on the SBIR program at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and finds that the program is making significant progress in achieving the Congressional goals for the program. Keeping in mind NASA's unique mission and the recent significant changes to the program, the committee found the SBIR program to be sound in concept and effective in practice at NASA.. The book recommends programmatic changes that should make the SBIR program even more effective in achieving its legislative goals. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Assessment of the U.S. Army Natick Research, Development and Engineering Center

This is a report providing expert assessment of the research, development and engineering organization including products and technologies at the RDEC. The report is searchable on the web site and there is an HTML summary. Price and purchase details are also available.

Assessment of Wingtip Modifications to Increase the Fuel Efficiency of Air Force Aircraft

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on Assessment of Aircraft Winglets for Large Aircraft Fuel Efficiency, National Research Council and dated 2007. The high cost of aviation fuel has resulted in increased attention by Congress and the Air Force on improving military aircraft fuel efficiency. One action considered is modification of the aircraft s wingtip by installing, for example, winglets to reduce drag. While common on commercial aircraft, such modifications have been less so on military aircraft. In an attempt to encourage greater Air Force use in this area, Congress, in H. Rept. 109-452, directed the Air Force to provide a report examining the feasibility of modifying its aircraft with winglets. To assist in this effort, the Air Force asked the NRC to evaluate its aircraft inventory and identify those aircraft that may be good candidates for winglet modifications. This report which considers other wingtip modifications in addition to winglets presents a review of wingtip modifications; an examination of previous analyses and experience with such modifications; and an assessment of wingtip modifications for various Air Force aircraft and potential investment strategies. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Astrobiology Strategy for the Exploration of Mars

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on an Astrobiology Strategy for the Exploration of Mars, National Research Council and dated 2007. Three recent developments have greatly increased interest in the search for life on Mars. The first is new information about the Martian environment including evidence of a watery past and the possibility of atmospheric methane. The second is the possibility of microbial viability on Mars. Finally, the Vision for Space Exploration initiative included an explicit directive to search for the evidence of life on Mars. These scientific and political developments led NASA to request the NRC s assistance in formulating an up-to-date integrated astrobiology strategy for Mars exploration. Among other topics, this report presents a review of current knowledge about possible life on Mars; an astrobiological assessment of current Mars missions; a review of Mars-mission planetary protection; and findings and recommendations. The report notes that the greatest increase in understanding of Mars will come from the collection and return to Earth of a well-chosen suite of Martian surface materials. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available online in open book format.

Attitudes Aren't Free : Thinking Deeply about Diversity in the US Armed Forces

This provides access to a U.S. Air University publication written by James E Parco and David Levy, dated February 2010. A collection of essays (and a few speeches), most written for this volume, on the themes of religious expression, homosexuality, gender, race, and ethics in the military. The contributors include activists, military members, academics, and other experts. Attitudes Aren’t Free does not promote one view on these contentious issues but rather allows the writers to advocate for their diverse positions with thoughtful, well-reasoned arguments. This volume offers a framework for critical thought and candid discussions about important social policy issues in the military. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Aviation Fuels with Improved Fire Safety: A Proceedings

The Workshop on Aviation Fuels with Improved Fire Safety was held November 19-20, 1996 to review the current state of development, technological needs and promising technology for the future development of aviation fuels that are most resistant to ignition during a crash. This book contains a summary of workshop discussions and presented papers in the areas of fuel and additive technologies, aircraft fuel system requirements and the characterization of fuel fires. The full-text of this book is available online in open book and html formats.

Aviation in Peace and War

Written by Sir Frederick Hugh Sykes and orginally published in 1922 this is a Gutenberg Project Release 25244# (April 2008). Since the earliest communities of human beings first struggled for supremacy and protection, the principles of warfare have remained unchanged. New methods have been evolved and adopted with the progress of science, but no discovery, save perhaps that of gunpowder, has done so much in so short a time to revolutionize the conduct of war as aviation, the youngest, yet destined perhaps to be the most effective fighting-arm. Yet to-day we are only on the threshold of our knowledge, and, striking as was the impetus given to every branch of aeronautics during the four years of war, its future power can only dimly be seen. [Taken from introduction]. It is available for on-screen browsing in text format and as a downloadable zip file from a number of specified servers.

Aviation Safety and Pilot Control: Understanding and Preventing Unfavorable Pilot-Vehicle Interaction

Aviation Safety and Pilot Control: Understanding and Preventing Unfavorable Pilot-Vehicle Interactions, report prepared by the Committee on the Effects of Aircraft-Pilot Coupling on Flight Safety, National Research Council, 1997. 220 pages. The report evaluates the current state of knowledge about adverse APC and processes that may be used to eliminate it from military and commercial aircraft. The web site provides access to the full text of the report. It is available online in two formats: Open Book and HTML.

Avoiding Technology Surprise for Tomorrow's Warfighter : Symposium Report

This provides access to a National Academies Press publication dated 2009. On April 29, 2009 the National Research Council held a 1-day symposium titled, "Avoiding Technology Surprise for Tomorrow's Warfighter." This volume, a report of the symposium, highlights key challenges confronting the scientific and technical intelligence (S&TI) community and explores potential solutions that might enable the S&TI community to overcome those challenges. The symposium captured comments and observations from representatives from combatant commands and supporting governmental organizations, together with those of symposium participants, in order to elucidate concepts and trends, knowledge of which could be used to improve the Department of Defense's technology warning capability. Topics addressed included issues stemming from globalization of science and technology, challenges to U.S. warfighters that could result from technology surprise, examples of past technological surprise, and the strengths and weaknesses of current S&TI analysis. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Ballistic Imaging

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press Daniel L. Cork, John E. Rolph, Eugene S. Meieran, and Carol V. Petrie, Editors, Committee to Assess the Feasibility, Accuracy and Technical Capability of a National Ballistics Database, National Research Council and dated 2008. Ballistic Imaging assesses the state of computer-based imaging technology in forensic firearms identification. The book evaluates the current law enforcement database of images of crime-related cartridge cases and bullets and recommends ways to improve the usefulness of the technology for suggesting leads in criminal investigations. It also advises against the construction of a national reference database that would include images from test-fires of every newly manufactured or imported firearm in the United States. The book also suggests further research on an alternate method for generating an investigative lead to the location where a gun was first sold: "microstamping," the direct imprinting of unique identifiers on firearm parts or ammunition. [Taken from abstract]. The full text os available to read online in open book format.

Basics of Space Flight Learner's Book

This is a training module created by Dave Doody and George Stephan of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). It is intended to help JPL staff gain an understanding of the basics of space flight, although it is made freely available on the Internet. It takes the form of an online tutorial which users work through at their own pace and includes questions to help learners evaluate their progress. There are 17 individual chapters to work through, covering topics such as gravitation and mechanics, interplanetary trajectories, spacecraft navigation and telecommunications. The document number is JPL D-9774, Revision A. The tutorial is available to download in PDF format, or to view in HTML format and was updated in 2001.

Battlefield of the Future : Twenty-First Century Warfare Issues

This provides access to a U.S. Air University publication edited by Barry R Schneider and Lawrence E Grinter, dated 1998. The authors of the essays in this book focus on issues relating to strategy and war fighting as the world moves into the twenty-first century. In these ten essays, the authors examine the debate over the future of airpower, the unique threat of biological warfare, the impact of the information revolution on warfare, and how changes in military technology might require a rethinking of the principles of warfare. These authors address whether new military technologies, new organization for warfare, and new strategies for employing forces on future battlefields will produce a revolution in military affairs. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Bear Went Over the Mountain : Soviet Combat Techniques in Afghanistan

Full text of the book edited by Lester W. Grau. The book is a collection of accounts written by junior officers in the Soviet army detailing their experiences fighting the Mujahideen guerrillas in the Russia - Afghanistan war.

Bearers of Global Jihad? Immigration and National Security After 9/11

This is the full text pdf version of the monograph written by Robert S. Leiken, published in 2004. It provides an analysis of the relationship between immigration and terrorism in the United States and western Europe. The chapters look at the convergence of immigration and national security, Islamism and Jihadism, Islamic networks, Jihad and immigration in western Europe, post September 11th measures and revived dangers in western Europe, and policy issues.

Biological Threat Reduction Program of the Department of Defense : From Foreign Assistance to Sustainable Partnerships

This is a full text book made available by the National Academies Press written by Committee on Prevention of Proliferation of Biological Weapons, Office for Central Europe and Eurasia, National Research Council and dated 2007. During the past 15 years, the Department of Defense (DOD) has supported a variety of international security-oriented biological activities within the framework of DOD’s Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) program. For 10 years, these activities have been referred to by DOD as the Biological Threat Reduction Program (BTRP) and have been implemented by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). They have been carried out in Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine. BTRP is one of several U.S. government programs that have been developed and implemented within an interagency framework to prevent the proliferation of expertise, materials, equipment, and technologies that could contribute to the development of biological weapons. These other programs are referred to in this report as “related” programs. The U.S. Congress included in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2007 a provision calling for a study by the National Academy of Sciences of the activities carried out by BTRP and activities that should be considered in the future. The legislation calls for the study to (1) assess relevant cooperative activities that have been carried out in Russia and other states of the former Soviet Union (FSU) with support by BTRP and other U.S. government programs, and (2) identify activities that should be considered for further cooperation, particularly BTRP activities. This report addresses the Congressional mandate. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Black Magic and Gremlins : Analog Flight Simulations at NASA's Flight Research

Written by Gene L Waltman this NASA-SP-2000-4520 Monograph in Aerospace History No 20 is available in full-text pdf format from the Dryden History website. It covers the history of the Flight Research Center (FRC) Simulation Laboratory (FSL) and describes the development of experimental flight-test simulators and the rapid evolution of the computers that made them run. The file is 8.5 MB and is available in PDF format.

Bounding the Global War on Terrorism

This pdf report was written by Dr Jeffrey Record, and published by the US Army War College, Security Studies Institute in December 2003. The report examines the three years of the War on Terror, since its inception in September 2001. It focuses on three areas; the American administraion's postulation of the terrorist threat, the scope and feasability of the United States' war aims, and the war's fiscal, political and military sustainability. The author calls for a bounding of the war on terror and reducing its scope to more accurately reflect US security interests and to bring clarity and clear objectives to the mission.

British Airships, Past, Present and Future

Written by George Whale this electronic text reprint is Project Gutenberg Release #762 and was published in December 1996. This Project Gutenberg "etext" is distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart through the Project Gutenberg Association at Benedictine University. The etext is available to browse online in Text format and as a dowloadable zip file. The text can be accessed for a number of specified server sites.

Building for the Future : China's Progress in Space Technology during the Tenth 5-Year Plan and the U.S. Response

This is the full text verison of a U.S. Strategic Studies Institute monagraph published in March 2008 and written by Kevin Pollpeter. The Chinese government is using space power to increase its influence at home and abroad and hopes to leverage the political, economic, and military benefits of space to become a great power. The ambivalent nature of the U.S.-China relationship, however, assures that over the long term China's rise as a space power will present challenges to the United States. Militarily, China's improved remote sensing capabilities and launch tempos require the U.S. military to prepare to counteract China's use of space in a potential conflict over Taiwan. Commercially, China's lower labor costs and mercantilist approach to space could establish China as a competitive market force. Politically, U.S. diplomats must recognize the role Chinese space activities plays in diplomacy and be prepared to ameliorate cooperative activities that impinge on U.S. national security. Despite these drawbacks, cooperation with China cannot be ruled out. Cooperation can improve scientific research, increase safety, and make an opaque program more transparent, but should not directly improve China's military or commercial capabilities. Consequently, the U.S. response to China's rise as a space power should take a balanced approach in which challenges are managed and opportunities exploited. [Taken from abstract]. This downloadable study (423KB) is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat is required.

Capabilities for the Future : Assessment of NASA Laboratories for Basic Research

This provides access to a National Academies Press publication dated 2010. Over the past 5 years or more, there has been a steady and significant decrease in NASA's laboratory capabilities, including equipment, maintenance, and facility upgrades. This adversely affects the support of NASA's scientists, who rely on these capabilities, as well as NASA's ability to make the basic scientific and technical contributions that others depend on for programs of national importance. The fundamental research community at NASA has been severely impacted by the budget reductions that are responsible for this decrease in laboratory capabilities, and as a result NASA's ability to support even NASA's future goals is in serious jeopardy. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Challenge of Nuclear-Armed Regional Adversaries

This gives access to a Rand Organization publication written by David Ochmanek and Lowell H. Schwartz dated 2008. North Korea’s test of a nuclear weapon in 2006 shows that such weapons are within reach of determined regional powers. Thus, defense planners in the United States and elsewhere must begin now to confront the new security challenges posed by nuclear-armed regional adversaries. While U.S. conventional and nuclear forces will continue to have deterrent effects on the leaders of regional adversaries such as North Korea and Iran, the dynamics of the deterrent balance vis-à-vis these actors may be quite different from that to which the United States became accustomed during the Cold War. The weakness of these states at the conventional level, coupled with the high stakes they will have at risk in a conflict with the United States, could lead them to seriously consider brandishing or using nuclear weapons in a conflict. This, in turn, could compel U.S. leaders to temper their military and political objectives in such conflicts. To improve the United States’ military and political leverage in these situations, a great deal more needs to be done to develop and field capabilities, such as multilayered theater missile defenses and improved surveillance and target-tracking capabilities, that can prevent the enemy’s use of nuclear weapons. [Taken from abstract]. The fulkl text is avialable in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Combined Arms Research Library CSI/CGSC Press

This site provides access to publications of the Combat Studies Institute and Command and General Staff College Press, they include research studies, reports, surveys, and bibliographies. It gives a complete listing of publications for the past twenty years, most of which provide access to the full text of the document. The publications cover a wide range of subjects including military history, military theory and the practice of the military arts.

Combined Exposures to Hydrogen Cyanide and Carbon Monoxide in Army Operations : Final Report

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on Toxicology, Committee on Exposures to Hydrogen Cyanide and Carbon Monoxide in Army Operations and dated 2008. To determine whether the air quality inside armored-vehicle cabins can meet exposure guidelines under deployment conditions, the Army assessed possible synergistic toxic effects from potentially harmful substances. This book, the final of two reports on the subject from the National Research Council, addresses whether the approach discussed in the technical context section of the Army's proposed guidance is appropriate, or whether an alternative assessment method should be developed. Combined Exposures to Hydrogen Cyanide and Carbon Monoxide in Army Operations provides several conclusions and recommendations, including the use of alternative instrumentation for monitoring gas, conducting experiments on human subjects, and seeking advice from additional groups involved with personnel training and field deployment. [Taken from abstract]. The full text os available to read online in open book format.

Command and Control in the Royal Australian Air Force

This provides access to a Royal Australian Air Force, Air Power Development Centre publication dated October 2009. The handbook enunciates the Chief of Air Force's responsibilities to Government and the Chief of the Defence Force, and the processes used to discharge these responsibilities. It identifies CAF’s two principal executives, the Deputy Chief of Air Force (DCAF) and the Air Commander Australia (ACAUST), and the processes and support structures they use to command and control the Air Force on CAF’s behalf. In particular, the roles and responsibilities of ACAUST are detailed because of how the raise, train and sustain aspects of Air Force capabilities are managed so they are ready for operations, and also how ACAUST oversees the Air and Space Operations Centre (AOC), which is force assigned to Chief of Joint Operations (CJOPS). [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Commanding an Air Force Squadron in the Twenty First Century : A Practical Guide of Tips and Techniques for Today's Squadron Commander

This site provides access to the full text of the Air University book written by Jeffry F. Smith, published in August 2003. This book looks at leadership and command of an air force squadron and takes the framework of the 1989 book Commanding an Air Force Squadron written by Timothy T. Timmons. Topics cover the art of command, lessons of leadership in action, building command relationships, personnel, communication, using authority, and money management.

Commercial Observation Satellites : At The Leading Edge Of Global Transparency

This provides access to RAND publication MR-1229, edited by John C. Baker, Kevin M. O'Connell, and Ray A. Williamson, dated 2001. The book is co-published by RAND and the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. It focuses on the nexus of technology and politics in order to promote a better understanding of the broader political, security, and market implications of commercial observation satellites. The text is available in PDF format.

Common Operating Picture for Air Force Materiel Sustainment

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Raymond Pyles ...[et al] and dated 2008. The United States Air Force materiel sustainment system (MSS) is continually caught between two countervailing pressures: demands for increased efficiency and lower costs on one side versus demands for increasingly effective support to combat operations and peacetime training on the other. Furthermore, the demands on the MSS are unpredictable and change rapidly. The authors contend that implementation of a common operating picture (COP) would make the Air Force MSS both more efficient and more flexible and responsive to changing needs. They describe such a COP, developed around four principles: effects-based measures, which enable the creation of diagnostic measures to monitor system performance; schwerpunkt, a German concept that emphasizes the importance of a shared frame of reference for accomplishing organizational objectives; decision-rights theory, which provides a framework for decentralizing decisionmaking; and a nonmarket economic framework in which Air Force Headquarters and the Global Logistics Supply Center would mediate between the supply and demand sides of the MSS. The authors discuss how this COP might be applied to depot-level reparable component sustainment, using that specific example to illustrate how the COP could improve the overall MSS. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Complexity Theory and Network Centric Warfare

This is the full text pdf version of the book written by James Moffat, published by the Department of Defense Command and Control Research Program in September 2003. The book is part of the Information Age Transformation Series and looks at complexity theory, which encompasses fractal structures, nonlinear dynamical systems, and models of self-organisation and selforganised criticality, and its relation to network centric warfare. The chapters are titled: complexity in natural and economic systems; concepts for warfare from complexity theory; evidence for complex emergent behaviour in historical data; mathematical modelling of complexity, knowledge and conflict; and dynamics of local collaboration and clustering.

Contractor Logistics Support in the U.S. Air Force

This give access to a Rand Organization publication written by Michael Boito, Cynthia Cook, John Graser and dated 2009. The Air Force has several options for sustaining weapon systems and components but has, in recent years, increasingly chosen contractor logistics support (CLS) over organic support. Still, questions remain about costs and efficiency, even about whether CLS is the best option. The authors explored these by reviewing the relevant government and DoD documents and data and by speaking with various knowledgeable individuals. The authors noted that CLS contracts have often gone to original equipment manufacturers because, lacking the technical data, the Air Force could not choose a third party. They also noted that contracts that guarantee large annual sums limit the Air Force's ability to adjust when its own funding changes and that the reasons underpinning these decisions are not always complete or consistent across the service. Centralizing and standardizing data and the related management skills would help make them available across the Air Force. More important, to retain all its choices for logistics services throughout a system's life cycle, the Air Force should acquire the technical data or data rights near the start of the acquisition process. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Contractors on Deployed Military Operations: United Kingdom Policy and Doctrine

This web site provides access to a United States Strategic Studies Institute written by Matthew Uttley dated September 2005. Department of Defense (DoD) initiatives to use contractors on deployed military operations remains a contentious issue in U.S. military transformation. Despite the intense debates surrounding the benefits and costs of DoD outsourcing, little attention has focussed on similar Ministry of Defence (MoD) initiatives underway in the United Kingdom (UK). Since the UK and United States are likely to remain close allies in future expeditionary deployments, the MoD's approach to contractor support is a salient case study for the DoD and U.S. armed services. The author examines the controversies surrounding deployed contractor support, the ways that the MoD has harnessed private sector capacity, and the lessons this provides for U.S. policymakers and military planners. In doing so, he provides important insights into a significant theme in contemporary defense and security policy. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software will be required in order to read it.

Cost-Benefit Analysis of the 2006 Air Force Materiel Command Test and Evaluation Proposal

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Michael Thirtle ...[eat al] and dated 2007. Late in 2006, the Air Force enlisted RAND Project AIR FORCE's assistance to respond to a requirement in the 2007 Defense Appropriations Act to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of an Air Force proposal to consolidate and divest itself of a portion of the Air Force Materiel Command's test and evaluation facilities and capabilities. The resulting analysis indicated that the proposed consolidation of the 46th and 412th Test Wings could save costs over the Future Years Defense Program from 2007 through 2011 if it occurred in conjunction with the transfer of open-air range flight testing from Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) to Edwards AFB and the Naval Air Warfare Centers at Point Mugu and China Lake. Other parts of the Air Force proposal were considered not to be cost-effective, including the closure of Eglin ground-range test facilities and other test facilities at Eglin AFB, at Holloman AFB, and at Moffett Field. The monograph highlights areas of risk that the Air Force should consider prior to implementation. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Countering the New Terrorism

This electronic book is available to view free of charge chapter-by-chapter in PDF format. It was published in 1999 by the RAND Corporation and has been written by several of its staff. The book traces recent developments of terrorism against civilian and US military targets, assesses the future and the threat of information-based terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.

Countering the Threat of Improvised Explosive Devices : Basic Research Opportunities, Abbreviated Version

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on Defeating Improvised Explosive Devices: Basic Research to Interrupt the IED Delivery Chain, National Research Council and dated 2007. Attacks in London, Madrid, Bali, Oklahoma City and other places indicate that improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are among the weapons of choice of terrorists throughout the world. Scientists and engineers have developed various technologies that have been used to counter individual IED attacks, but events in Iraq and elsewhere indicate that the effectiveness of IEDs as weapons of asymmetric warfare remains. The Office of Naval Research has asked The National Research Council to examine the current state of knowledge and practice in the prevention, detection, and mitigation of the effects of IEDs and make recommendations for avenues of research toward the goal of making these devices an ineffective tool of asymmetric warfare. The book includes recommendations such as identifying the most important and most vulnerable elements in the chain of events leading up to an IED attack, determining how resources can be controlled in order to prevent the construction of IEDs, new analytical methods and data modeling to predict the ever-changing behavior of insurgents/terrorists, a deeper understanding of social divisions in societies, enhanced capabilities for persistent surveillance, and improved IED detection capabilities. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read inline in open book format.

Countering Urban Terrorism in Russia and the United States : Proceedings of a Workshop

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press, eited by Glenn E. Schweitzer and A. Chelsea Sharber and published in 2006. Other contributing organisations: Committee on Counterterrorism, Challenges for Russia and the United States, Office for Central Europe and Eurasia, National Research Council, in cooperation with the Russian Academy of Sciences. The full text of the proceedings can be read in open book format from the website of the National Academies Press.

Counterinsurgency in Iraq (2003-2006). RAND Counterinsurgency Study - Volume 2

This technical report (MG-595/3-OSD) was produced by The RAND Corporation in 2008 and was written by Bruce R. Pirnie and Edward O'Connell. This monograph outlines strategic considerations relative to counterinsurgency (COIN) campaigns; presents an overview of the current conflict in Iraq, focusing on COIN; analyzes COIN operations in Iraq; presents conclusions about COIN, based on the U.S. experience in Iraq; describes implications from that experience for future COIN operations; and offers recommendations to improve the ability of the U.S. government to conduct COIN in the future. For example, U.S. COIN experience in Iraq has revealed the need to achieve synergy and balance among several simultaneous civilian and military efforts and the need to continually address and reassess the right indicators to determine whether current strategies are adequate. The need to continually reassess COIN strategy and tactics implies that military and civilian leaders must have not only the will, but also a formal mechanism, to fearlessly and thoroughly call to the attention of senior decisionmakers any shortfalls in policies and practices, e.g., in Iraq, failure to protect the civilian population, as well as overreliance on technological approaches to COIN. The Iraq experience is particularly germane to drawing lessons about COIN. In essence, the conflict there is a local political power struggle overlaid with sectarian violence and fueled by fanatical foreign jihadists and criminal opportunists — a combination of factors likely to be replicated in insurgencies elsewhere. [Taken from abstract]. This is a PDF file, so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Counterterrorism in African Failed States: Challenges and Potential Solutions

This web site provides access to a United States Strategic Studies Institute publication by Thomas Dempsey dated April, 2006. Terrorist groups operating in Sub-Saharan Africa failed states have demonstrated the ability to avoid the scrutiny of Western counterterrorism officials, while supporting and facilitating terrorist attacks on the United States and its partners. The potential acquisition of nuclear weapons by terrorists makes terrorist groups operating from failed states especially dangerous. U.S. counterterrorism strategies largely have been unsuccessful in addressing this threat. A new strategy is called for, one that combines both military and law enforcement efforts in a fully integrated counterterrorism effort, supported by a synthesis of foreign intelligence capabilities with intelligence-led policing to identify, locate, and take into custody terrorists operating from failed states before they are able to launch potentially catastrophic attacks. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat will be required in order to read it.

Courses of Action for Enhancing U.S. Air Force "Irregular Warfare" Capabilities : Functional Solutions Analysis

This provides access to a Rand Corporation publication written by Richard Mesic ...[et al] and dated 2010. The U.S. Air Force leadership plans in the near term to identify and implement a range of initiatives for enhancing the service's contributions to irregular warfare (IW) operations and to meet DoD guidance that directs its components to “recognize that IW is as strategically important as traditional warfare.” This monograph is the result of a “quick-turn” study to provide the leadership with a menu of actions it could consider both in the very near term and over an extended period to strengthen and expand the Air Force's capabilities to take part in joint and interagency efforts in irregular warfare. Rather than developing detailed endpoints for Air Force capabilities or structure in the future — e.g., what the USAF could look like in, say, 2015 — the authors propose solution vectors that could enable the Air Force to move out quickly while continuing to consider responses to emerging demands in a dynamic IW environment. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so ADobe ACrobat software is required in order to read it.

Cross-Cultural Skills for Deployed Air Force Personnel : Defining Cross-Cultural Performance

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Chaitra Hardison ...[et al] dated 2009. Because of its strong interest in providing airmen with the cross-cultural skills that have grown ever more essential to successful mission accomplishment in foreign environments, the Air Force asked RAND to provide a foundation for the design of a comprehensive Air Force program of cross-cultural training and education. RAND researchers responded by first creating a taxonomy covering all behaviors relevant to cross-cultural performance after the need for such a taxonomy became evident from a review of the literature on cross-cultural performance and discussions with Air Force personnel. From this taxonomy, the researchers developed a framework of 14 categories of cross-cultural behaviors — nine categories of enabling behaviors and five of goal-oriented behaviors. This framework was then used in designing a survey for 21,000 recently deployed airmen that asked them to rate the importance of the behaviors to their deployed performance and the helpfulness of training they had received in the behaviors (both over their careers and just prior to deployment). Respondents were also asked to indicate how much training they had received. Recommendations and suggestions for the design of a comprehensive program of cross-cultural training and education and for further research steps were made based on extensive analyses of the results, which included determining whether training needs differed by AFSC, grade (enlisted/officer), and deployment location. {Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

CU @ The FOB: How the Forward Operating Base is Changing the Life of Combat Soldiers

This provides access to a United States Strategic Studies Institute publication written by Leonard Wong and Stephen Gerras dated March 2006. The situation in post-war Iraq is producing combat veterans accustomed to a perspective of combat that differs greatly from past wars. The Forward Operating Base (FOB) has become the mainstay of the U.S. presence in Iraq. The authors explore the facets of fighting from the FOB. Their research shows that the FOB gives soldiers the unprecedented advantage of gaining a respite from constant danger, minimizing the wearing effects of hunger and fatigue, and reducing the isolation of combat. As a result, many of the factors of psychological stress typically present in combat are greatly reduced. They also point out, however, that technology on the FOB allows soldiers to communicate frequently with home, shifting the family from an abstract to concrete concept in the minds of deployed soldiers. As a result, the competition between the family and Army for soldier time, commitment, loyalty, and energy is renewed. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software will be required in order to read it.

Cyberdeterrence and Cyberwar

This provides access to a U.S. Rand Organization publication written by Martin C. Libicki and dated 2009. The protection of cyberspace, the information medium, has become a vital national interest because of its importance both to the economy and to military power. An attacker may tamper with networks to steal information for the money or to disrupt operations. Future wars are likely to be carried out, in part or perhaps entirely, in cyberspace. It might therefore seem obvious that maneuvering in cyberspace is like maneuvering in other media, but nothing would be more misleading. Cyberspace has its own laws; for instance, it is easy to hide identities and difficult to predict or even understand battle damage, and attacks deplete themselves quickly. Cyberwar is nothing so much as the manipulation of ambiguity. The author explores these in detail and uses the results to address such issues as the pros and cons of counterattack, the value of deterrence and vigilance, and other actions the United States and the U.S. Air Force can take to protect itself in the face of deliberate cyberattack. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDf format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Dangerous But Not Omnipotent : Exploring the Reach and Limitations of Iranian Power in the Middle East

This gives access to a Rand Organization publication written by Frederic Wehrey ...[et al] and dated 2009. Following the U.S. invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, the Iranian threat to U.S. interests has taken on seemingly unprecedented qualities of aggressiveness and urgency. Added to its provocative positions on the nuclear program, support for non-state militants, and development of threatening military capabilities is the sense that Iran is trying to effect far-reaching changes on the regional and even global stage. Within this context, this report aims to provide policy planners with a new framework for anticipating and preparing for the strategic challenges Iran will present over the next ten to fifteen years. In an analysis grounded in the observation that although Iranian power projection is marked by strengths, it also has serious liabilities and limitations, this report assesses four critical areas — the Iranian regime's perception of itself as a regional and even global power, Iran's conventional military buildup and aspirations for asymmetric warfare, its support to Islamist militant groups, and its appeal to Arab public opinion. Based on this assessment, the report offers a new U.S. policy paradigm that seeks to manage the challenges Iran presents through the exploitation of regional barriers to its power and sources of caution in the regime's strategic calculus. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Dangerous Thresholds : Managing Escalation in the 21st Century

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Forrest Morgan ...[et al]. Escalation is a natural tendency in any form of human competition. When such competition entails military confrontation or war, the pressure to escalate can become intense due to the potential cost of losing contests of deadly force. Cold War–era thinking about escalation focused on the dynamics of bipolar, superpower confrontation and strategies to control it. Today's security environment, however, demands that the United States be prepared for a host of escalatory threats involving not only long-standing nuclear powers, but also new, lesser nuclear powers and irregular adversaries, such as insurgent groups and terrorists. This examination of escalation dynamics and approaches to escalation management draws on historical examples from World War I to the struggle against global Jihad. It reveals that, to manage the risks of escalatory chain reactions in future conflicts, military and political leaders will need to understand and dampen the mechanisms of deliberate, accidental, and inadvertent escalation. Informing the analysis are the results of two modified Delphi exercises, which focused on a potential conflict between China and the United States over Taiwan and a potential conflict between states and nonstate actors in the event of a collapse of Pakistan's government. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Decadal Survey of Civil Aeronautics : Foundation for the Future

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Steering Committee for the Decadal Survey of Civil Aeronautics, National Research Council and dated 2006. The U.S. air transportation system is very important for our economic well-being and national security. The nation is also the global leader in civil and military aeronautics, a position that needs to be maintained to help assure a strong future for the domestic and international air transportation system. Strong action is needed, however, to ensure that leadership role continues. To that end, the Congress and NASA requested the NRC to undertake a decadal survey of civil aeronautics research and technology (R&T) priorities that would help NASA fulfill its responsibility to preserve U.S. leadership in aeronautics technology. This report presents a set of strategic objectives for the next decade of R&T. It provides a set of high-priority R&T challenges -characterized by five common themes -for both NASA and non-NASA researchers, and an analysis of key barriers that must be overcome to reach the strategic objectives. The report also notes the importance of synergies between civil aeronautics R&T objectives and those of national security. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Defending Planet Earth : Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies : Final Report

This provides access to a U.S. National Academies Press publication dated 2010. The United States spends approximately four million dollars each year searching for near-Earth objects (NEOs). The objective is to detect those that may collide with Earth. The majority of this funding supports the operation of several observatories that scan the sky searching for NEOs. This, however, is insufficient in detecting the majority of NEOs that may present a tangible threat to humanity. A significantly smaller amount of funding supports ways to protect the Earth from such a potential collision or "mitigation." In 2005, a Congressional mandate called for NASA to detect 90 percent of NEOs with diameters of 140 meters of greater by 2020. Defending Planet Earth: Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies identifies the need for detection of objects as small as 30 to 50 meters as these can be highly destructive. The book explores four main types of mitigation including civil defense, "slow push" or "pull" methods, kinetic impactors and nuclear explosions. It also asserts that responding effectively to hazards posed by NEOs requires national and international cooperation. Defending Planet Earth: Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies is a useful guide for scientists, astronomers, policy makers and engineers. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required.

Department of Defense Training for Operations with Interagency, Multinational, and Coalition Partners

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Michael Spiritas ...[et al]and dated 2008. The nature of recent challenges and the types of missions the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has undertaken highlight the need for DoD to consider ways to help the military prepare to work with other government agencies, international organizations, private and nongovernmental organizations, and foreign militaries. These challenges require DoD to combine military and nonmilitary means, such as intelligence, diplomacy, and developmental assistance, to advance U.S. national-security interests. Moreover, exhibiting cultural awareness and sensitivity vis-à-vis non-DoD partners is paramount to successful operational planning and execution. To build or bolster local governance, to foster economic growth, and to respond to natural disasters, the United States must also use different types of tools, military and otherwise, simultaneously. It is no small task to synchronize these different tools so that they work in tandem, or at least minimize conflict between them. This report provides suggestions for how the U.S. military can help prepare its personnel to work successfully with interagency, multinational, and coalition partners. The authors found that almost all of the requirements for integrated-operations training can be found in existing joint and service task lists. Current training programs aimed at headquarters staffs need to be revamped to focus on high-priority tasks that are amenable to training. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDf format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Deterrence : From Cold War to Long War Lessons from Six Decades of RAND Research

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Austin Long and dated 2008. Since its inception six decades ago, the RAND Corporation has been one of the key institutional homes for the study of deterrence. Never a well-loved concept in the United States, deterrence lost any luster it held after the Cold War. The 2002 U.S. national-security strategy proclaimed deterrence's irrelevance for most future national-security challenges. However, the 2006 version of this strategy reversed this move, recognizing that deterrence will be as indispensable for the “long war” as it was for the Cold War. This book examines these six decades of research for lessons relevant to the current and future strategic environments. Among its conclusions are that U.S. domestic politics inevitably requires some considerable reliance on deterrence and that deterrence remains relevant to most of the threats the United States is likely to face, from near-peer competitors to regional states of concern and even to many terrorist organizations. It also makes specific recommendations about policies and force structures the United States should pursue to maximize its deterrent capabilities. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Deterrence and First-Strike Stability in Space : Preliminary Assessment

This provides access to a Rand Corporation publication written by Forrest E. Morgan and dated 2010. Space stability is a fundamental U.S. national security interest. Unfortunately, that stability may be eroding. Potential enemies understand the high degree to which space systems enhance U.S. conventional warfighting capabilities, and a growing number of them are acquiring the ability to degrade or destroy those systems. However, the risk is not the same for all space systems in all types of crises or at all levels of war. Some systems are more vulnerable than others, and different types of attacks offer different cost-benefit payoffs to attackers. Therefore, each space system has a different threshold at which efforts to deter attacks on it could fail. The United States can raise the thresholds of deterrence failure in crises and at some levels of limited war by implementing a coordinated national space deterrence strategy designed to operate on both sides of a potential adversary's cost-benefit decision calculus simultaneously. This strategy should begin with a national space policy that declares that the United States will punish space aggressors in ways, times, and places of its choosing. The United States should also take steps to reduce the benefits an enemy might expect to gain in attacking U.S. space systems. Future research will determine the most effective and affordable mix of strategies, policies, and systems for strengthening space deterrence. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat softwareis required in order to read it.

Developing an Assessment Framework for U.S. Air Force Building Partnerships Programs

This provides access to a Rand Corporation publication written by Jennifer Moroney and dated 2010. Working with allies to build their defense capacity, acquire access to their territories for potential operations, and strengthen relationships with their air forces is an important U.S. Air Force activity. To determine the value of this activity, the authors outline an assessment framework that planners, strategists, and policymakers can use to see whether Air Force security cooperation activities are achieving the desired effects. They recommend that the Air Force incorporate an assessment process at the program level into its current security cooperation assessment process to meet the needs of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the combatant commands, and the Air Force. They also point out that it is important for Air Force stakeholders to assess security cooperation with the intent to inform decisionmaking. Because of the limited assessment guidance and the need for efficient assessment processes, the Air Force should clarify and specify stakeholder assessment roles and responsibilities for security cooperation assessments. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Developing Senior Navy Leaders : Requirements for Flag Officer Expertise Today and in the Future

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Lawrence Hanser ...[et al] and dated 2008. As the array of expertise required to be a successful leader in the U.S. Navy has become more complex, Navy leaders have become increasingly concerned that senior officers need additional kinds of expertise, beyond those traditionally developed in naval officers, to be successful in commanding, leading, and managing the Navy enterprise. This study explores whether there is a gap in officer development that manifests itself in the flag officer ranks. Through surveys and interviews, and working with the Navy's Office of the Executive Learning Officer (ELO), the authors examined the kinds of expertise required for successful performance in Navy flag billets. They then created a model to determine the kinds of experience that the pool of Rear Admiral officers must have to fill these requirements, and compared it to actual experience possessed by several years of Rear Admiral selectees. The authors did not find major gaps between the kinds of experience required for flag billets and those possessed by candidate officers, but they did identify several combinations of expertise that the Navy should work to develop in officers to better meet current requirements. Hanser et al. also examined the Navy's structure, force development, doctrine, and technology acquisitions to identify the types of expertise likely to become more important for Navy leadership in the future. The authors conclude with a variety of recommendations on how the Navy might better prepare officers for senior leadership roles. [Taken from abstract]. The full text of the document is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Directorate of History and Heritage : Publications

This site provides access to full text Canadian military history publications and is provided by the Canadian National Defence Directorate of Heritage and History (DHH). Topics covered include; aboriginal people in the Canadian military, peacekeeping, air training, Canadian military heritage, Canadian military history, the First World War, bilingualism, Korean War and the Second World War.

Discouraging Terrorism : Some Implications of 9/11

Written by the Panel on Understanding Terrorists in Order to Deter Terrorism, Center for Social and Economic Studies. The report focuses on Islamic terrorists and looks at the question of what are terrorist's motives and what do they value. It then goes on to suggest methods of deterring terrorists.

Distributed Arrays of Small Instruments for Solar-Terrestrial Research : Report of a Workshop

This is a full text report made available by National Academies Press written by Ad Hoc Committee on Distributed Arrays of Small Instruments for Research and Monitoring in Solar-Terrestrial Physics: A Workshop, National Research Council and dated 2006. A recommendation of the NRC s decadal survey in solar and space physics, published in 2002, was the Small Instrument Distributed Ground-Based Network, which would provide global-scale ionospheric and upper atmospheric measurements crucial to understanding the atmosphere-ionosphere-magnetosphere system. To explore the scientific rationale for this distributed array of small instruments (known as DASI), the infrastructure needed to support and make use of such arrays, and proposals for a deployment implementation plan, the NRC held a workshop of interested parties at the request of the National Science Foundation. This report presents a summary of that workshop focusing on the science and instruments, and on infrastructure issues. It describes the themes emerging from the workshop: the need to address the magnetosphere-ionosphere-magnetosphere ensemble as a system; the need for real-time observations; and the insufficiency of current observations. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online.

Distributed Remote Sensing for Naval Undersea Warfare : Abbreviated Version

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on Distributed Remote Sensing for Naval Undersea Warfare, National Research Council and dated 2007. Since the early 20th century, the United States has been a nation with global responsibility for maritime commerce and power projection. Today the United States is recognized as the sole superpower, with its global reach often dependent on the capability of the U.S. Navy to put ships with bulk capacity offshore of virtually any country. This global reach is threatened, however, by the widespread acquisition of quiet, diesel electric submarines and inexpensive mines that can be very effective weapons in an adversary’s littoral waters, whether shallow or deep. The question then becomes: Can the United States, by implementing distributed remote sensing (DRS) technology, counter this asymmetric threat? This study, which was requested by the former Chief of Naval Operations, addresses the state of the art of and the challenges for DRS and related technologies, assesses current shortfalls, and makes recommendations toward rapidly implementing DRS systems to counter the growing submarine threat as well as problems of countermine warfare. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Dominion of the Air : Story of Aerial Navigation

This gives access to a book written by J.M Bacon. This is a Project Gutenberg Release #861 dated July 2008. It is available for on-screen browsing in text form and, as a downloadable zip file from a number of specified servers.

DPRK Briefing Book

Provided by the Nautilus Institute's US - DPRK Next Steps : Avoiding Nuclear Proliferation and Nuclear War in Korea project. This is an online reference book on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK, the strategic implications of its nuclear weapons and missile programmes, and international relations with the United States. It contains issue briefs, critical analyses, and key reference materials on topics related to the North Korea situation including: the 1994 Agreed Framework; further agreements including KEDO, inter-Korean agreements, and withdrawal from the NPT; international relations with China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States; conventional weapons; the military; missiles; monitoring and verification; multilateral talks; nuclear weapons; sanctions; and terrorism.

Early History of the Airplane : Wright Brothers

Written by Orville and Wilbur Wright and now a Project Gutenberg release 25420# (May 2008). "Though the subject of aerial navigation is generally considered new, it has occupied the minds of men more or less from the earliest ages. Our personal interest in it dates from our childhood days. Late in the autumn of 1878 our father came into the house one evening with some object partly concealed in his hands, and before we could see what it was, he tossed it into the air. Instead of falling to the floor, as we expected, it flew across the room, till it struck the ceiling, where it fluttered awhile, and finally sank to the floor. It was a little toy, known to scientists as a "helicoptere," but which we, with sublime disregard for science, at once dubbed a "bat." It was a light frame of cork and bamboo, covered with paper, which formed two screws, driven in opposite directions by rubber bands under torsion. A toy so delicate lasted only a short time in the hands of small boys, but its memory was abiding" [Taken from introduction]. It is available for on screen browsing in text format and as a downloadable zip file from a number of specified servers.

Earth Science and Applications from Space : National Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond

This provides access to a National Academies Press online book dated 2007. Natural and human-induced changes in Earth s interior, land surface, biosphere, atmosphere, and oceans affect all aspects of life. Understanding these changes requires a range of observations acquired from land-, sea-, air-, and space-based platforms. To assist NASA, NOAA, and USGS in developing these tools, the NRC was asked to carry out a "decadal strategy" survey of Earth science and applications from space that would develop the key scientific questions on which to focus Earth and environmental observations in the period 2005-2015 and beyond, and present a prioritized list of space programs, missions, and supporting activities to address these questions. This report presents a vision for the Earth science program; an analysis of the existing Earth Observing System and recommendations to help restore its capabilities; an assessment of and recommendations for new observations and missions for the next decade; an examination of and recommendations for effective application of those observations; and an analysis of how best to sustain that observation and applications system. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to view online in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Earth Science Enterprise 1999 Applications Factbook

The 1999 Earth Science Enterprise Applications Fact Book provides details of eleven applications that NASA are using to monitor and analyse environmental change. The earth science data and technologies discussed include agricultural map sets, a fire potential index, a mine drainage mapping project, a global positioning system (GPS) network, and element/climate tracking and monitoring.

Effects Based Operations : Applying Network Centric Warfare in Peace, Crisis and War

This is the full text pdf version of the book written by Edward A. Smith, published by the Department of Defense Command and Control Research Program in November 2002. The book is part of the Information Age Transformation Series and looks at the military use of effects based operations to respond to the new security environment; network-centric operations; effects-based operations; the challenge of complexity; effects beyond combat such as deterrence and reassurance; and network centric contributions to effects based operations.

Effects of Extreme Winds on Structures

This report from the US National Research Council is available in full text in HTML format from the National Academy Press. The report assesses the suitability of a proposal to create a large-scale wind test facility (LSWTF) in order to enhance understanding of how extreme winds such as tornadoes and hurricanes impact on light-frame structures. The committee concluded that a LSWTF should not be constructed for both technical and economic reasons.

Emergency and Continuous Exposure Guidance Levels for Selected Submarine Contaminants : Volume 2

This provides access to a National Academies Press publication dated 2008. Submariners live in an enclosed and isolated environment when at sea on a submerged submarine. Unlike workers who have respites from occupational exposures at the end of their shifts or workweeks, submariners are potentially exposed to air contaminants 24 h a day while the submarine is submerged. To protect submariners from potential adverse health effects associated with air contaminants, the U.S. Navy has established 1-h and 24-h emergency exposure guidance levels (EEGLs) and 90-day continuous exposure guidance levels(CEGLs) for a number of those contaminants. EEGLs are defined as ceiling concentrations(concentrations not to be exceeded) of chemical substances in submarine air that will not cause irreversible harm to crew health or prevent the performance of essential tasks, such as closing a hatch or using a fire extinguisher, during rare emergency situations lasting 1-24 h. Exposures at the EEGLs may induce reversible effects, such as ocular or upper respiratory tract irritation, and are therefore acceptable only in emergencies, when some discomfort must be endured. After 24 h of exposure, the CEGLs would apply. CEGLs are ceiling concentrations designed to prevent immediate or delayed adverse health effects or degradation in crew performance that might result from continuous exposure to chemical substances lasting up to 90 days. In December 1995, the Navy began reviewing and updating the submarine exposure guidance levels. Because the National Research Council (NRC) Committee on Toxicology (COT) has previously reviewed and provided recommendations for those and other types of exposure guidance levels, the Navy requested that COT review, or when necessary develop, EEGLs and CEGLs for a variety of substances. As a result of the Navy's request, the NRC convened the Committee on Emergency and Continuous Exposure Guidance Levels for Selected Submarine Contaminants in 2002. As in the committee’s first report, several of the chemicals evaluated in this report are sensory irritants. The derivation of quantitative environmental and occupational exposure limits for sensory irritants is fraught with difficulty because measures of the ocular and respiratory tract irritation experienced by human subjects are often considered subjective. The results of controlled human exposures to many sensory irritants typically use such descriptors as “mild” or mild to moderate,” and the data on sensory-irritation thresholds can be highly variable. Research is needed to quantify the diverse methods and end points used in sensory-irritation studies so that the data can be used in public-health and occupational-health risk assessment with greater confidence. [Taken from abstrct]. The full text is available to read online in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required.

Emergency and Continuous Exposure Guidance Levels for Selected Submarine Contaminants : Volume 3

This provides access to a national Academies Press publication dated 2009. U.S. Navy personnel who work on submarines are in an enclosed and isolated environment for days or weeks at a time when at sea. Unlike a typical work environment, they are potentially exposed to air contaminants 24 hours a day. To protect workers from potential adverse health effects due to those conditions, the U.S. Navy has established exposure guidance levels for a number of contaminants. The Navy asked a subcommittee of the National Research Council (NRC) to review, and develop when necessary, exposure guidance levels for specific contaminants. This volume, the third in a series, recommends 1-hour and 24-hour emergency exposure guidance levels (EEGLs) and 90-day continuous exposure guidance levels (CEGLs) for acetaldehyde, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen sulfide, and propylene glycol dinitrate. [Taken from abstract]. The full text can be read online in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required.

Emergency and Continuous Exposure Guidance Levels for Selected Submarine Contaminants

This provides access to a National Academies Press publication dated 2007. U.S. Navy personnel who work on submarines are in an enclosed and isolated environment for days or weeks at a time when at sea. Unlike a typical work environment, they are potentially exposed to air contaminants 24 hours a day. To protect workers from potential adverse health effects due to those conditions, the U.S. Navy has established exposure guidance levels for a number of contaminants. The Navy asked a subcommittee of the National Research Council (NRC) to review, and develop when necessary, exposure guidance levels for 10 contaminants. Overall, the subcommittee found the values proposed by the Navy to be suitable for protecting human health. For a few chemicals, the committee proposed levels that were lower than those proposed by the Navy. In conducting its evaluation, the subcommittee found that there is little exposure data available on the submarine environment and echoed a previous recommendation from an earlier NRC report to conduct monitoring that would provide a complete analysis of submarine air and data on exposure of personnel to contaminants. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat is required.

Enabling Foundation for NASA's Space and Earth Science Missions

This provides access to a U.S. National Academies Press publication dated 2009. NASA's space and Earth science program is composed of two principal components: spaceflight projects and mission-enabling activities. Most of the budget of NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is applied to spaceflight missions, but NASA identifies nearly one quarter of the SMD budget as "mission enabling." The principal mission-enabling activities, which traditionally encompass much of NASA's research and analysis (R&A) programs, include support for basic research, theory, modeling, and data analysis; suborbital payloads and flights and complementary ground-based programs; advanced technology development; and advanced mission and instrumentation concept studies. While the R&A program is essential to the development and support of NASA's diverse set of space and Earth science missions, defining and articulating an appropriate scale for mission-enabling activities have posed a challenge throughout NASA's history. This volume identifies the appropriate roles for mission-enabling activities and metrics for assessing their effectiveness. Furthermore, the book evaluates how, from a strategic perspective, decisions should be made about balance between mission-related and mission-enabling elements of the overall program as well as balance between various elements within the mission-enabling component. Collectively, these efforts will help SMD to make a good program even better. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required.

Enhancing Fires and Maneuver Capability Through Greater Air-Ground Joint Interdependence

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Jody Jacobs ...[et al] dated 2009. Although airpower capabilities have improved dramatically in the past decade, the joint warfighting potential offered by these capabilities is not being fully realized. Service transformation efforts and lessons learned during combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq highlight doctrinal and technical issues with air and ground integration. The authors propose several alternative options for improving the effectiveness of air and ground fires and maneuver. To compare the potential effectiveness of the options, they develop a methodology that models the essential counterland air-ground interactions under discussion, based on a scenario that focuses on the disruption of enemy ground force maneuver. They suggest a new joint warfighting concept that has design elements specifically put in place to enhance the prioritization and synchronization of joint fires and maneuver. This concept offers important benefits and significant added flexibility for employing joint forces to achieve the commander's objectives across the entire theater. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Enhancing the Performance of Senior Department of Defense Civilian Executives, Reserve Component General/Flag Officers, and Senior Noncommissioned Officers in Joint Matters

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Raymond Conley ...[et al] dated 2008. Today's active-duty military has become progressively more joint. But in recent years, U.S. joint military activities have also seen higher participation rates by reserve component general and flag officers, senior civilians, and senior noncommissioned officers. This report examines the preparation of reserve component general and flag officers, senior civilians, and senior noncommissioned officers for participation in joint military activities. The authors interviewed a select group of senior people who had served at the highest executive levels of DoD and a number of senior members who had been identified as being exemplars with respect to participating in joint activities. They then used this information to develop their recommendations and worked with the appropriate OSD staffs to link them to possible initiatives. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Estimating the Benefits of the Air Force Purchasing and Supply Chain Management Initiative

This technical report (MG-584-AF) was produced by The RAND Corporation in 2008 and was written by Jeremy Arkes and Mary E. Chenoweth. One of the tools the Air Force is using to improve its logistical support to the warfighter is purchasing and supply-chain management (PSCM). But other factors likely were changing at about the same time, which might influence the relationship of the PSCM initiative to the supply chain’s ability to support the warfighter. To evaluate whether PSCM is doing what it is intended to do, and how well, it is necessary to control for these other factors that may be influencing its outcomes. The authors have taken a step in that direction by developing an econometric model that isolates certain identifiable factors and holds them constant as a means of separating their effects from PSCM. They illustrate their model by analyzing the relationship between PSCM and Mission Capable (MICAP) incidents. The authors considered several different factors but found data availability and quality to be a challenge. However, the model may be useful both with other factors and for estimating the benefits of other initiatives. [Taken from abstract]. This is a PDF file, so Adobe Acrobat software will be required in order to read it.

EU Civilian Crisis Management : Record So Far

This provides access to a Rand Corporation publication written by Christopher Chivvis and dated 2010. The European Union has been deploying civilians in conflict and postconflict stabilization missions since 2003, and the scope of civilian missions is likely to increase in the future. This volume offers a general overview and assessment of the EU's civilian operations to date, as well as a more in-depth look at the two missions in which the EU has worked alongside NATO: the EU police-training mission in Afghanistan and the integrated rule of law mission in Kosovo. The author concludes with a discussion of the main policy implications for the United States and Europe. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in full text format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Europe's Role in Nation-Building : From the Balkans to the Congo

This gives access to a Rand Organization publication written by James Dobbins ...[et al] dated 2008. Two previous RAND volumes addressed the roles of the United States and the United Nations in nation-building, defined as the use of armed force in the aftermath of a conflict to promote a durable peace and representative government. This volume presents six case studies of recent European-led nation-building missions: Albania, Sierra Leone, Macedonia, Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Bosnia. It also reviews the Australian assistance mission to the Solomon Islands. Using quantitative and qualitative measures to compare inputs (such military levels, economic assistance and duration) and outcomes (such as levels of security, economic growth, refugee return, and democracy), the analysis concludes that these European-led missions have been competently managed and, within their sometimes quite limited scope, generally successful. Most helped achieve sustained peace, gross domestic product growth, and representative government. The EU has a wide array of civil competencies for nation-building, but it is sometimes slow to deploy them in support of its military operations, particularly when these are conducted far from Europe. The UN offers the most cost-effective means to address most postconflict stabilization requirements and NATO the better framework for large-scale force projection in cases in which the United States is ready to participate. But the EU now offers European governments a viable alternative to both these organizations in cases in which European interests are high, U.S. interests are low, and the UN is, for some reason, unsuitable or unavailable. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Evaluating Novel Threats to the Homeland : Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Cruise Missiles

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Brian Jackson ...[et al] dated 2008. Changes in technology and adversary behavior will invariably produce new threats that must be assessed by defense and homeland security planners, and a decision must be made about whether they merit changes in current defenses or the development of new defensive approaches. An example of such a novel threat is the use of cruise missiles or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by terrorist groups or other asymmetric actors to attack homeland targets. Individual threats cannot be assessed in isolation, however, since adversaries always have many options for staging attacks. To examine the threat of UAVs and cruise missiles, RAND utilized a “red analysis of alternatives” approach, wherein the benefits, costs, and risks of different options are considered from the point of view of a potential adversary. For several types of attacks, the suitability of cruise missiles and UAVs was compared against other options, such as vest bombs, car bombs, and mortars. This approach identifies the operational problems faced by a potential adversary to help the defense understand how the capabilities that different attack modes provide may overcome those problems. Given the insights this analysis of alternatives produced into the circumstances under which UAVs and cruise missiles might be preferred by an attacker, RAND explored defensive options to address the threat. This analysis considered defensive options targeting the full range of adversary activities, including activities before, during, and after an attack, rather than a preferential focus on classical terminal-defense strategies. UAVs and cruise missiles represent a “niche threat” within a larger threat context; therefore, defenses were sought that provide common protection against both this and other asymmetric threats. The monograph concludes with a discussion of cross-cutting lessons about this threat and the assessment of novel threats in general. This research was sponsored by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. It should be of interest to homeland security policymakers, military and defense planners, analysts examining the terrorist threat, technology and defense system designers, and individuals charged with protecting potential targets in the U.S. homeland from terrorist attack. Develops approaches for assessing asymmetric attacks using cruise missiles or unmanned aerial vehicles, a novel potential threat to homeland targets, in the context of other options available to terrorist actors and for identifying the factors that might make these technologies attractive to adversaries. These approaches provide the basis for exploring defensive options. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Evaluating Testing, Costs, and Benefits of Advanced Spectroscopic Portals for Screening Cargo at Ports of Entry : Interim Report

This provides access to a National Academies Press publication dated 2009. To improve screening of containerized cargo for nuclear and radiological material that might be entering the United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is seeking to deploy new radiation detectors, called advanced spectroscopic portals (ASPs). The ASPs are intended to replace some or all of the current system of radiation portal monitors (called PVT RPMs) used in conjunction with handheld radioisotope identifiers (RIIDs) to detect and identify radioactive material in cargo. The U.S. Congress required the Secretary of Homeland Security to certify that ASPs will provide a 'significant increase in operational effectiveness' over continued use of the existing screening devices before DHS can proceed with full-scale procurement of ASPs for deployment. Congress also directed DHS to request this National Research Council study to advise the Secretary of Homeland Security about testing, analysis, costs, and benefits of the ASPs prior to the certification decision. This interim report is based on testing done before 2008; on plans for, observations of, and preliminary results from tests done in 2008; and on the agency's draft cost-benefit analysis as of October 2008. The book provides advice on how DHS' Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) can complete and make more rigorous its ASP evaluation for the Secretary and the nation. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Evaluating Testing, Costs, and Benefits of Advanced Spectroscopic Portals for Screening Cargo at Ports of Entry : Interim Report

This provides access to a U.S. National Academies Press publication dated 2009. To improve screening of containerized cargo for nuclear and radiological material that might be entering the United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is seeking to deploy new radiation detectors, called advanced spectroscopic portals (ASPs). The ASPs are intended to replace some or all of the current system of radiation portal monitors (called PVT RPMs) used in conjunction with handheld radioisotope identifiers (RIIDs) to detect and identify radioactive material in cargo. The U.S. Congress required the Secretary of Homeland Security to certify that ASPs will provide a 'significant increase in operational effectiveness' over continued use of the existing screening devices before DHS can proceed with full-scale procurement of ASPs for deployment. Congress also directed DHS to request this National Research Council study to advise the Secretary of Homeland Security about testing, analysis, costs, and benefits of the ASPs prior to the certification decision. This interim report is based on testing done before 2008; on plans for, observations of, and preliminary results from tests done in 2008; and on the agency's draft cost-benefit analysis as of October 2008. The book provides advice on how DHS' Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) can complete and make more rigorous its ASP evaluation for the Secretary and the nation. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required.

Evaluation of Safety and Environmental Metrics for Potential Application at Chemical Agent Disposal Facilities

This is a full text book made avaailable by National Academies Press written by Committee on Evaluation of the Safety and Environmental Metrics for Potential Application at Chemical Agent Disposal Facilities; National Research Council dated 2009. By the end of 2009, more than 60 percent of the global chemical weapons stockpile declared by signatories to the Chemical Weapons Convention will have been destroyed, and of the 184 signatories, only three countries will possess chemical weapons-the United States, Russia, and Libya. In the United States, destruction of the chemical weapons stockpile began in 1990, when Congress mandated that the Army and its contractors destroy the stockpile while ensuring maximum safety for workers, the public, and the environment. The destruction program has proceeded without serious exposure of any worker or member of the public to chemical agents, and risk to the public from a storage incident involving the aging stockpile has been reduced by more than 90 percent from what it was at the time destruction began on Johnston Island and in the continental United States. At this time, safety at chemical agent disposal facilities is far better than the national average for all industries. Even so, the Army and its contractors are desirous of further improvement. To this end, the Chemical Materials Agency (CMA) asked the NRC to assist by reviewing CMA's existing safety and environmental metrics and making recommendations on which additional metrics might be developed to further improve its safety and environmental programs. [Taken from abstract]. The full text can be read online in open book format.

Evaluation of the National Aerospace Initiative

This is a full text book from National Academies Press and produced by Committee on the National Aerospace Initiative, National Research Council. The National Aerospace Initiative (NAI) was conceived as a joint effort between the Department of Defense (DOD) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to sustain the aerospace leadership of the United States through the acceleration of selected aerospace technologies: hypersonic flight, access to space, and space technologies. The Air Force became concerned about the NAI s possible consequences on Air Force programs and budget if NAI program decisions differed from Air Force priorities. To examine this issue, it asked the NRC for an independent review of the NAI. This report presents the results of that assessment. It focuses on three questions asked by the Air Force: is NAI technically feasible in the time frame laid out; is it financially feasible over that period; and is it operationally relevant. The report is available in open book format.

Examination of Options to Reduce Underway Training Days Through the Use of Simulation

This gives access to a Rand Organization publication written by Roland Yardley ...[et al] dated 2008. U.S. Navy surface combatant ship crew training involves a combination of shore-based, onboard pier-side, and underway training. Underway training is expensive, however, and it increases wear and tear on operating equipment. Furthermore, constrained budgets and increasing recapitalization costs have forced the Navy to examine various methods — such as increased use of simulators — to reduce the annual operating costs of the fleet. Technological improvements have increased the fidelity and realism of simulators, and simulation is being used more widely for training within the U.S. Navy, in other navies, and in commercial shipping companies. Although the Navy’s surface combatant community currently uses simulators in its training regimen, an increased use of simulation could potentially improve training efficiency, sustain training readiness, and reduce underway days. Focusing on the DDG-51 Arleigh Burke class of surface combatants, RAND examines the training requirements of surface forces, determines where credit is granted for the use of simulation, estimates what training is done underway, examines simulation technology, and identifies areas where simulation could be substituted for underway training without any decrease in readiness. The authors find that although most exercises are done underway, many could be done in port with or without the use of simulators. Accordingly, the Navy should consider (1) investing in shore-based engineering simulators, (2) directing that exercises that can be done in port be done in port, and (3) accelerating the upgrades that are slowly providing DDG-51–class ships with an embedded engineering training capability. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in ODf format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Exploring Organic Environments in the Solar System

This is a full text book made available by Natgional Academies Press written by Task Group on Organic Environments in the Solar System, National Research Council and dated 2007. The sources, distributions, and transformation of organic compounds in the solar system are active study areas as a means to provide information about the evolution of the solar system and the possibilities of life elsewhere in the universe. There are many organic synthesis processes, however, and ambiguity surrounds the relative effectiveness of these processes in explaining the distribution of organic compounds in the solar system. As a consequence, NASA directed the NRC to determine what processes account for the reduced carbon compounds found throughout the solar system and to examine how planetary exploration can advance understanding of this central issue. This report presents a discussion of the chemistry of carbon; an analysis of the formation, modification, and preservation of organic compounds in the solar system; and an assessment of research opportunities and strategies for enhancing our understanding of organic material in the solar system. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

FAA Aviation Safety Information : Aviation Safety Data Accessibility Study

This is a report on issues related to public interest in aviation safety data. It is dated January 20th, 1997, and was prepared for the Office of System Safety, Federal Aviation Administration. This study examines the issues related to increasing the accessibility of aviation safety data. The issues addressed include identification of safety data resources, format of safety data, analysis and interpretation of safety data, experiences of other Federal agencies with safety data, and public access to safety data. It is available in HTML format.

Falklands War 1982

Part of the Naval History web site and based on the book Battles of the Falklands Islands War by Gordon Smith, these pages provide a study of the Falklands conflict. The site is divided into different subject headings for ease of navigation. These include; Argentine and British units taking part, early British task force movements and preliminary British operations.

Federal Research Division: Country Studies

This site contains on-line versions of books previously published by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress in the Country Studies/Area Handbook series, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Army. The site, which is searchable and browseable includes history, government, military and lifestyle information for each country/area. The site does not include information on the UK, France Canada and other Western and some African nations.

Fighter Drawdown Dynamics : Effects on Aircrew Inventories

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by William W. Taylor, James H. Bigelow, John A. Ausink and dated 2009. Even though the number of fighter aircraft in the Air Force inventory is decreasing, the demand for experienced fighter pilots is increasing because new nonflying staff positions are thought to require people with fighter skills. The authors use a dynamic mathematical model to show that, under current conditions and management practices, fighter units are unable to “absorb” enough new pilots — that is, provide enough flying hours to give them the experience they need — to meet the increased demand and that attempting to do so can decrease unit readiness. They also show how increasing credit for simulator training, new approaches to developing fighter pilot-like skills (such as unmanned aerial systems), and the integrated use of active, guard, and reserve fighter aircraft for pilot development can help the Air Force meet the increased demand for staff personnel with fighter pilot skills while maintaining the health of its fighter units. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is aaialble in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Fire- and Smoke-Resistant Interior Materials

This web site provides access to the full text of: Fire- and Smoke-Resistant Interior Materials for Commercial Transport Aircraft, by the Committee on Fire and Smoke Resistant Materials for Commercial Aircraft Interiors, National Research Council, 1996. The two principal objectives of this study were: to identify promising materials technologies, design issues (both overall and for individual components) and fire performance parameters (both full scale and for individual components) that, if properly optimized, would lead to improved fire and smoke resistance of materials and components used in aircraft interiors; and to identify long-range research directions that hold the most promise for producing predictive modeling capability, new advanced materials and the required product development to achieve totally fire-resistant interiors in future aircrafts. The text is available online in Open Book format. There is also an executive summary in HTML format.

Flight to the Future: Human Factors in Air Traffic Control

This is the full text of a book published by the National Academy Press in 1997. It is edited by Christopher D. Wickens, Anne S. Mavor and James P. McGee of the panel on Human Factors in Air Traffic Control Automation, of the National Research Council. It is possible to search the text of the book, or alternatively view a listing of chapters and select which one to view.

Flying Machines : Construction and Operation

This provides access to a book written by W.J. Jackman and Thomas H Russell, with an introductory chapter by Octave Chanute. This is a Project Gutenberg Release 907 dated July 2008. It is available to browse on-screen and, as a downloadable zip file, from a number of specified servers.

Fostering Visions for the Future : Review of the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts

This provides access to a National Academies Press publication dated 2009. The NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC) was formed in 1998 to provide an independent source of advanced aeronautical and space concepts that could dramatically impact how NASA develops and conducts its missions. Until the program's termination in August 2007, NIAC provided an independent open forum, a high-level point of entry to NASA for an external community of innovators, and an external capability for analysis and definition of advanced aeronautics and space concepts to complement the advanced concept activities conducted within NASA. Throughout its 9-year existence, NIAC inspired an atmosphere for innovation that stretched the imagination and encouraged creativity. As requested by Congress, this volume reviews the effectiveness of NIAC and makes recommendations concerning the importance of such a program to NASA and to the nation as a whole, including the proper role of NASA and the federal government in fostering scientific innovation and creativity and in developing advanced concepts for future systems. Key findings and recommendations include that in order to achieve its mission, NASA must have, and is currently lacking, a mechanism to investigate visionary, far-reaching advanced concepts. Therefore, a NIAC-like entity should be reestablished to fill this gap. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Foundations of Effective Influence Operations : Framework for Enhancing Army Capabilities

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Eric V. larson ...[et al] and dated 2009. Interest has increased regarding capabilities that may allow the United States to effectively influence the attitudes and behavior of particular foreign audiences while minimizing or avoiding combat. This increase is largely the result of (1) the post-9/11 realization that the U.S. image in much of the Muslim world may be facilitating the mobilization and recruitment of global jihadists and (2) the difficulties that the United States has encountered in promoting stability and political reconciliation in post-war Iraq. Larson et al. aim to assist the U.S. Army in understanding “influence operations,” whose purpose is to persuade foreign audiences. The authors identify approaches, methodologies, and tools that may be useful in planning, executing, and assessing influence operations. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Fourth-Generation War and Other Myths

This web site provides access to a United States Strategic Studies Institute publication written by Antulio Echevarria dated November 2005. Fourth Generation War (4GW) emerged in the late 1980s, but has become popular due to recent twists in the war in Iraq, and terrorist attacks worldwide. In brief, the theory holds that warfare has evolved through four generations: 1) the use of massed manpower, 2) firepower, 3) maneuver, and now 4) an evolved form of insurgency that employs all available networks—political, economic, social, military—to convince an opponent's decision makers that their strategic goals are either unachievable or too costly. Further, the theory contends that this last form characterizes the terrorists' way of fighting today. Despite reinventing itself several times, the theory has several fundamental flaws that need to be exposed before it influences U.S. operational and strategic thinking. A critique of 4GW is both timely and important because examining the theory's assumptions exposes significant faults in other popular notions, such as the idea of nontrinitarian war, that might exert damaging influence over U.S. strategy and military doctrine. What we are really seeing in the war on terror and the campaign in Iraq and elsewhere is that the increased "dispersion and democratization of technology, information, and finance" brought about by globalization has given terrorist groups greater mobility and access worldwide. At this point, globalization seems to aid the nonstate actor more than the state, but states still play a central role in the support or defeat of terrorist groups or insurgencies. We would do well to abandon the theory of 4GW altogether, since it sheds very little, if any, light on this phenomenon. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

From Earth to Orbit : An Assessment of Transportation Options

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press and produced by Committee on Earth-to-Orbit Transportation Options, Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board, Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems, National Research Council. The study provides strategies to reduce launch costs while increasing the reliability and resilency of vehicles. It also recommends continued improvements for the Space Shuttle Orbiter and its subsystems and the development of a Space Transportation Main Engine (STME). The text is available in open book PDF form.

Future of Air Traffic Control: Human Operators and Automation

This is the full text of a book published by the National Academy Press in 1998. It is edited by Christopher D. Wickens, Anne S. Mavor, Raja Parasuraman and James P. McGee of the panel on Human Factors in Air Traffic Control Automation, of the National Research Council. It is possible to search the text of the book, or alternatively view a listing of chapters and select which one to view.

Future U.S. Security Relationships with Iraq and Afghanistan : U.S. Air Force Roles

This gives access to a Rand Organization publication written by David Thaler ...[et al] dated 2008. The United States is heavily invested — diplomatically, economically, and militarily — in Iraq and Afghanistan, and developments in these two nations will affect not only their own interests but those of their neighbors and the United States as well. The authors emphasize that the United States must clarify its long-term intentions to the governments and peoples in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the surrounding regions. They describe possible regional security structures and bilateral U.S. relationships with both countries. The authors recommend that the United States offer a wide range of security cooperation activities to future governments in Kabul and Baghdad that are willing to work with the United States but should also develop plans that hedge against less-favorable contingencies. Finally, arguing that the U.S. Air Force could remain heavily tasked in Iraq and Afghanistan even after major U.S. troop withdrawals, they recommend that the United States provide increased, sustained resources for development of the Iraqi and Afghan airpower, because the greater the emphasis on building these capabilities now, the faster indigenous air forces will be able to operate independently and the operational demands on the U.S. Air Force will diminish. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Gas Turbine Primer : An Introduction to Air Breathing Engines

This primer has been produced by Jack Mattingly as part of his Aircraft Engine Design web site. The primer provides an introduction to air breathing engines and covers a range of topics including operational envelopes and engine performance, as well as engine types such as turbojets, turbofans, ram jets and scramjets. The text is presented in HTML format, and includes numerous illustrations.

Global Combat Support Basing Robust Prepositioning Strategies for Air Force War Reserve Materiel

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Robert McGarvey ...[et al] and dated 2010. The ability to rapidly deploy forces into austere locations is essential to the global power projection concept of operation. Much of the materiel used by such expeditionary forces does not deploy with the unit but is instead sourced from a global network of prepositioning storage locations, to reduce the transportation requirements associated with the movement of such materiel. Current storage concepts for prepositioned materiel are based on planning assumptions from the Cold War era: that deployment scenarios and their associated support requirements could be fairly well identified in advance and the necessary materiel prepositioned at anticipated deployment sites. This monograph identifies alternative approaches to storing combat support materiel that satisfy the requirements of deploying forces in an expeditionary environment that more closely resembles the current Department of Defense planning guidance, while simultaneously reducing total system costs and increasing robustness in the event of disruptions such as loss of access to a storage site. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat softwareis required in order to read it.

Global Positioning System (GPS) for the Geosciences

This full text report documents a summary and the proceedings of a workshop held in 1997 aimed at improving the GPS Reference Station infrastructure for earth, oceanic, and atmospheric science applications. Attended by representatives from all the relevant stake-holding sectors, the workshop discussed current policy and objectives, technological requirements and the future issues facing them. In particular, it focussed on enhancing communication and coordination within the infrastructure giving consideration to the specification and standardization of equipment, testing, documentation, error reduction, real-time data communications, analysis software development, and data management and archiving.

Global Positioning System Primer

This web site, provided by The Aerospace Corporation, presents a basic introduction to the global positioning system (GPS). The GPS primer is arranged under the following headings: Welcome to the global positioning system; What is GPS; What is navigation; GPS elements; satellites in space; ground control stations and receivers; how GPS works; military uses for GPS; GPS in everyday life; GPS related links. The text of the primer is also available for downloading (1618KB in pdf format)

Global Positioning System: A Shared National Asset

This web site provides access to the report of a study conducted by the National Research Council Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board Committee on the Future of the Global Positioning System, Washington, DC, National Academy Press, 1995. The Task Statement reads [extract]: The primary objective is to conduct a study of the future of the Department of Defense's Navstar Global Positioning System (GPS). The study, which was requested through the Fiscal Year 1994 National Defense Authorization Act will be conducted jointly by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA). The NAPA portion of the study will focus on issues such as management and international participation and the NAS portion of the study will address issues such as future technical improvements and augmentations to enhance military, civilian, and commercial use of the system in the context of national security considerations.... This report is in DocuWeb format, and is not searchable. This format is also relatively slow, but complete.

Going to War With the Allies You Have: Allies, Counterinsurgency, and the War on Terrorism

This web site provides access to a United States Strategic Studies Institute publication written by Daniel Byman dated November 2005. Washington must recognize that its allies, including those in the security forces, are often the source of counterinsurgency problems as well as the heart of any solution. The author argues that the ally's structural problems and distinct interests have daunting implications for successful U.S. counterinsurgency efforts. The nature of regimes and of societies feeds an insurgency, but the United States is often hostage to its narrow goals with regard to counterinsurgency and thus becomes complicit in the host-nation's self-defeating behavior. Unfortunately, U.S. influence often is limited as the allies recognize that America's vital interests with regard to fighting al-Qa'ida-linked groups are likely to outweigh any temporary disgust or anger at an ally's brutality or failure to institute reforms. Training, military-to-military contacts, education programs, and other efforts to shape their COIN capabilities are beneficial, but the effects are likely to be limited at best. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software will be required in order to read it.

Grading NASA's Solar System Exploration Program : Midterm Review

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written Committee on Assessing the Solar System Exploration Program, National Research Council and dated 2008. The NASA Authorization Act of 2005 directed the agency to ask the NRC to assess the performance of each division in the NASA Science directorate at five-year intervals. In this connection, NASA requested the NRC to review the progress the Planetary Exploration Division has made in implementing recommendations from previous, relevant NRC studies. This book provides an assessment of NASA's progress in fulfilling those recommendations including an evaluation how well it is doing and of current trends. The book covers key science questions, flight missions, Mars exploration, research and analysis, and enabling technologies. Recommendations are provided for those areas in particular need of improvement. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Green Warriors : Army Environmental Considerations for Contingency Operations from Planning Through Post-Conflict

This gives access to Rand Organization publication written by David E. Mosher ...[et al] and dated 2008. Recent experiences in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Balkans have highlighted the importance of environmental considerations. These range from protecting soldier health and disposing of hazardous waste to building water supply systems and other activities that help achieve national goals in the post-conflict phase of contingency operations. The Army has become increasingly involved with environmental issues in every contingency operation and must be better prepared to deal with them. This study assesses whether existing policy, doctrine, and guidance adequately address environmental activities in post-conflict military operations and reconstruction. Findings are based on reviews of top-level policy and doctrine, analysis of operational experience, extensive interviews with diverse Army personnel, and a review of operational documentation and literature. From these sources, a database of 111 case studies was created. The research showed that environmental concerns can have far-reaching and significant impacts on the Army, both direct and indirect, especially in terms of cost, current operations, soldier health, diplomatic relations, reconstruction activities, and the ultimate success of the operation or the broader mission. Some evidence suggests that environmental problems may have even contributed to insurgency in Iraq. Recommendations include updating current policy and doctrine to fully address environmental considerations in contingency operations; ensuring that contractors are carefully selected and managed; and transmitting proactive field environmental practices and lessons throughout the Army. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Gulf War and Health : Volume 6. Physiologic, Psychologic, and Psychosocial Effects of Deployment-Related Stress

This is a full text book made availanle by National Academies Press written by Committee on Gulf War and Health: Physiologic, Psychologic, and Psychosocial Effects of Deployment-Related Stress dated 2008. Given the committee’s charge from VA—to assess the long-term health effects of deployment-related stress—the committee began by defining the deployment in question as “deployment to a war zone.” Combat is one of the most potent stressors that a person can experience, but as military conflicts have evolved to include more guerilla warfare and insurgent activities, restricting the definition of deployment-related stressors to combat may fail to acknowledge other potent stressors experienced by military personnel in a war zone or in the aftermath of combat. Those stressors include constant vigilance against unexpected attack, the absence of a defined front line, the difficulty of distinguishing enemy combatants from civilians, the ubiquity of improvised explosive devices, caring for the badly injured or dying, duty on the graves registration service, and being responsible for the treatment of prisoners of war. Deployment stressors associated with armed conflict include not only combat stressors but noncombat stressors. Non-combat-related stressors that might be experienced by deployed personnel are separation from family, friends, and colleagues; loss of or reduction in income; and concern over employment status when deployment ends. Therefore, the committee considered that military personnel deployed to a war zone, even if direct combat was not experienced, have the potential for exposure to deployment-related stressors and that the emotional and physical reactions of military personnel to those stressors can vary widely. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Hizb ut-Tahrir : Islam's Political Insurgency

This is the full text pdf version of the monograph written by Zeyno Baran, published by the Nixon Center in December 2004. It examines the secrutiy threat posed by the spread of radical Islamist ideology and focuses on Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islamiyya, The Islamic Party of Liberation, which it is believed has become the vanguard of the radical Islamist ideology that encourages its followers to commit terrorist acts. The monograph looks at the evolution of HT's Islamist ideology, doctrine, methodology and party structure, HT's radicalisation and its splinter group al-Muhajiroun, the growth of radical Islam ideology in Central Asia and the steps Central Asian governments are taking to combat HT.

How Have Deployments During the War on Terrorism Affected Reenlistment?

This provides access to a U.S. Rand Organization publication written by James Hosek and Francisco Martorell dated 2009. The military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have placed considerable strain on service members, particularly those in the Army and Marine Corps. This research responds to widespread concern about the ability of the services to maintain required force levels under these circumstances. The research reviews deployment trends, develops a theoretical model, and analyzes both survey and administrative data. Survey data findings show that deployment increased both work and personal stress and reduced the intention to reenlist as reported at the time of the survey, but it had little effect on subsequent reenlistment. Administrative data showed how the effect of deployment varied by year and differed between first- and second-term reenlistment for each branch of service. The effect of deployment on reenlistment was positive or near zero in most years but became negative for the Army in 2006 and 2007. Analysis traced the negative effect to those soldiers with the highest cumulative months of deployment, whereas soldiers with few months of deployment had a positive effect. Findings for the Marine Corps were similar, but with shorter deployments, fewer Marines accumulated high cumulative months of deployment. The research also considered the roles of deployment pay and reenlistment bonuses in supporting overall reenlistment, which was especially important for the Army, in which the effect of deployment became negative. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

How Insurgencies End

This provides access to a Rand Coporation publication written by Ben Connable and Martin C. Libicki dated 2010. This study tested conventional wisdom about how insurgencies end against the evidence from 89 insurgencies. It compares a quantitative and qualitative analysis of 89 insurgency case studies with lessons from insurgency and counterinsurgency (COIN) literature. While no two insurgencies are the same, the authors find that modern insurgencies last about ten years and that a government's chances of winning may increase slightly over time. Insurgencies are suited to hierarchical organization and rural terrain, and sanctuary is vital to insurgents. Insurgent use of terrorism often backfires, and withdrawal of state sponsorship can cripple an insurgency, typically leading to its defeat. Inconsistent support to either side generally presages defeat for that side, although weak insurgencies can still win. Anocracies (pseudodemocracies) rarely succeed against insurgencies. Historically derived force ratios are neither accurate nor predictive, and civil defense forces are very useful for both sides. Key indicators of possible trends and tipping points in an insurgency include changes in desertions, defections, and the flow of information to the COIN effort. The more parties in an insurgency, the more likely it is to have a complex and protracted ending. There are no COIN shortcuts. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe ACrobat software is required in order to read it.

How Terrorist Groups End : Implications for Countering al Qa'ida

This provides access to Rand Organization research document written by Seth G. Jones and Martin C. Libicki dated 2008. This research brief describes an analysis of how terrorist groups end. The evidence since 1968 indicates that most groups have ceased to exist as a result of police and intelligence actions or of political accommodations, not military efforts. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Human Behavior in Military Contexts

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on Opportunities in Basic Research in the Behavioral and Social Sciences for the U.S. Military, James J. Blascovich and Christine R. Hartel, Editors, National Research Council and dated 2008. People are the heart of all military efforts. People operate the available weaponry and technology, and they constitute a complex military system composed of teams and groups at multiple levels. Scientific research on human behavior is crucial to the military because it provides knowledge about how people work together and use weapons and technology to extend and amplify their forces. The military has long recognized the role of research in furthering its mission. In that vein, the U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences (ARI) asked the National Research Council to provide an agenda for basic behavioral and social research focused on applications in both the near (5-10 years) and far (more than 10 years) terms. This request was made in the context of limited funds: for fiscal 2007, the U.S. Department of Defense budget for behavioral and social science is $37.6 million, its lowest level in 4 years, and for basic behavioral research at ARI it is approximately $4 million, including $1 million earmarked for “network science.” The committee considered a wide range of topics in the behavioral sciences and a smaller number in the social sciences, focusing on their applicability to military needs. Both historically and currently, those needs are in the areas of personnel, training and learning, leadership, and organization. The committee’s distillation resulted in six research topics with an emphasis on ones that are likely to be applicable to military needs in the relatively near future. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Implications of Aggregated DoD Information Systems for Information Assurance Certification and Accreditation

This provides access to a Rand Corporation publication written by Eric Landree ...[et al] and dated 2010. The challenges associated with securing U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) information systems have grown as the department's information infrastructure has become more complex and interconnected. At the same time, the potential negative consequences associated with cyber intrusions have become more severe. Are current information assurance (IA) policies and procedures sufficient to address this growing threat, and are they able to address vulnerability issues associated with highly networked information systems? The current IA certification and accreditation (C&A) process focuses on individual, discrete systems or components of larger, aggregated information systems and networks that are colocated or operate on the same platform (such as a Navy ship). An examination of current policy shows that a new approach is needed to effectively extend the IA C&A process to aggregations of information systems and improve the security of DoD information systems. A number of recommendations are put forth to improve current IA policy and to enable the IA C&A of aggregations of DoD information systems that reside on a common platform. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Improving Democracy Assistance : Building Knowledge Through Evaluations and Research

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on Evaluation of USAID Democracy Assistance Programs, National Research Council and dated 2008. Over the past 25 years, the United States has made support for the spread of democracy to other nations an increasingly important element of its national security policy. These efforts have created a growing demand to find the most effective means to assist in building and strengthening democratic governance under varied conditions. Since 1990, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has supported democracy and governance (DG) programs in approximately 120 countries and territories, spending an estimated total of $8.47 billion (in constant 2000 U.S. dollars) between 1990 and 2005. Despite these substantial expenditures, our understanding of the actual impacts of USAID DG assistance on progress toward democracy remains limited and is the subject of much current debate in the policy and scholarly communities. This book, by the National Research Council, provides a roadmap to enable USAID and its partners to assess what works and what does not, both retrospectively and in the future through improved monitoring and evaluation methods and rebuilding USAID s internal capacity to build, absorb, and act on improved knowledge. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Improving the Army's Assessment of Interactive Multimedia Instruction Courseware

This provides access to a Rand Corporation publication written by Susan Straus ...[et al] and dated 2009. An important component of The Army Distributed Learning Program's (TADLP's) performance is the quality of its courses, which consist primarily of asynchronous interactive multimedia instruction (IMI). However, there are no current efforts to assess course quality at the program level. This report outlines a comprehensive approach to evaluating the quality of IMI within TADLP. In addition, it describes how a program-level evaluation program developed at RAND might be implemented within the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). RAND assessed the quality of the learning experience in a sample of recently fielded IMI courses, using criteria based on standards in the training development community. The analysis identifies strengths and deficiencies in technical, production quality, and pedagogical aspects of IMI courseware. This research demonstrates a feasible method for evaluation that can supply TRADOC with metrics concerning IMI quality, points to directions for needed improvements, and provides a basis for assessing improvement initiatives. The authors recommend adoption of this approach, as well as further development of other components of a comprehensive program of IMI training evaluation. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Improving the Continued Airworthiness of Civil Aircraft: A Strategy for the FAA's Aircraft Certification Service

This web site provides access to the full text of: Improving the Continued Airworthiness of Civil Aircraft: A Strategy for the FAA's Aircraft Certification Service; by Committee on Aircraft Certification Safety Management; National Research Council, 1998. The FAA's Aircraft Certification Service (AIR) chartered the National Research Council to examine safety-related elements of the certification and continued airworthiness process and to recommend an approach to improve AIR's risk evaluation and risk management. The book contains the report and recommendations arising from the resulting study. The text is available online in Open Book and HTML formats.

Improving the Cost Estimation of Space Systems

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Obaid Younossi ...[et al] and dated 2008. Why have the costs of acquiring space systems been so high? What are the sources of the problems? To answer these questions, RAND researchers examined the sources of cost growth of Air Force space systems and undertook an extensive study of two space systems — the Space Based Infrared System–High (SBIRS) and the Global Positioning System (GPS) — including an evaluation of their sources of cost growth, an assessment of their approaches to technical risk assessment, and an examination of their acquisition policy adaptations and industrial base environments. The researchers recommend independent program assessment for space systems that emphasizes technical and program factors, and a modified organizational structure that maintains cost analyst independence. They also summarize the cost estimating best practices of several other government organizations. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Improving the Efficiency of Engines for Large Nonfighter Aircraft

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on Analysis of Air Force Engine Efficiency Improvement Options for Large Non-fighter Aircraft, National Research Council and dated 2007. Because of the important national defense contribution of large, non-fighter aircraft, rapidly increasing fuel costs and increasing dependence on imported oil have triggered significant interest in increased aircraft engine efficiency by the U.S. Air Force. To help address this need, the Air Force asked the National Research Council (NRC) to examine and assess technical options for improving engine efficiency of all large non-fighter aircraft under Air Force command. This report presents a review of current Air Force fuel consumption patterns; an analysis of previous programs designed to replace aircraft engines; an examination of proposed engine modifications; an assessment of the potential impact of alternative fuels and engine science and technology programs, and an analysis of costs and funding requirements. [Taken from abstract]. The full text can be read online in open book format.

Improving the Efficiency of Engines for Large Nonfighter Aircraft

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Because of the important national defense contribution of large, non-fighter aircraft, rapidly increasing fuel costs and increasing dependence on imported oil have triggered significant interest in increased aircraft engine efficiency by the U.S. Air Force. To help address this need, the Air Force asked the National Research Council (NRC) to examine and assess technical options for improving engine efficiency of all large non-fighter aircraft under Air Force command. This report presents a review of current Air Force fuel consumption patterns; an analysis of previous programs designed to replace aircraft engines; an examination of proposed engine modifications; an assessment of the potential impact of alternative fuels and engine science and technology programs, and an analysis of costs and funding requirements. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

In Their Own Words : Voices of Jihad : Compilation and Commentary

This provides access to a book published by the Rand Organization compiled by David Aaron and dated 2008. The book presents the actual statements and writings of jihadis expressing their views on virtually every subject relevant to their cause. It is not about Islam as it is practiced in its many varieties in Muslim communities throughout the world, nor is it about Islamic fundamentalism or the various Islamist political movements. Rather, it is about a small group of Muslims who carry out and promote terrorism in the name of Islam. Because the jihadis' statements are often more appalling and more profoundly revealing than the accounts that have been written about jihadi terrorism, this book provides unfiltered access to a broad range of the stories, rationales, ideas, and arguments of jihadi terrorists and those who support them. Introductory and contextual material is also included, to provide the background and origins of what the jihadis are saying — to each other and to the world. It is hoped that this will provide greater insights into the motives, plans, and participants in jihadi terrorism, as well as the nature of the threat they pose. Not all of the quotations are from prominent jihadis. Some have been selected because they are representative, others because they are contradictory, and still others because they provide a unique insight into the jihadi mentality. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat is required in order to read it.

Increasing Aircraft Carrier Forward Presence : Changing the Length of the Maintenance Cycle

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Roland J. Yardley ...[et al] dated 2008. The U.S. Navy’s aircraft carriers allow the nation to deter adversaries, bring airpower to bear against opponents, engage friends and allies, and provide humanitarian assistance. However, these powerful and versatile systems need continuous and regularly scheduled maintenance, and their crews require a great deal of training to attain and sustain readiness levels. The length of the carrier’s training, readiness, deployment, and maintenance cycle, the type of maintenance needed, and the timing of events within the cycle affect the carrier’s availability to meet operational needs. Over the past two decades, the proportion of time in a cycle that a carrier spends deployed has decreased, making it difficult for Navy planners to meet the forward-presence requirements of theater commanders. In future years, as the number of carriers in the fleet fluctuates, this challenge will be compounded. In this study, RAND examines the technical feasibility of different cycle lengths and their effect on the forward presence of Nimitz-class aircraft carriers. The authors assess several one- and two-deployment cycles, assuming a deployment length of six months and a time-between-deployments length equal to twice the duration of the previous deployment. The study also presents an analysis of the impact of different cycles on managing shipyard workloads. Among many findings, RAND concludes that shorter cycles can increase the forward presence of the carrier fleet and help level shipyard workloads. However, these shorter cycles will decrease fleet surge readiness. Longer, two-deployment cycles can increase forward presence, but may result in shipyard workload complications and deferred-work backlogs. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Information Assurance : Trends in Vulnerabilities, Threats and Technologies

This site provides access to the full text pdf version of the working paper published by the Center for Technology and National Security Policy, National Defence University, in 2004 and edited by Jacques S. Gansler and Hans Binnendijk. The book documents the proceedings of a workshop on information assurance issues related to network centric warfare. The chapters look at information assurance; trends in vulnerabilities, threats and technologies; physical vulnerabilties; vulnerabilities to electromagnetic attack; cyber security; and network centric warfare.

Interfaces for Ground and Air Military Robots : Workshop Summary

This is a full text report made available by National Academies Press written by Tal Oron-Gilad, Rapporteur, Planning Committee for the Workshop on Scalable Interfaces for Air and Ground Military Robots, Committee on Human Factors, National Research Council and dated 2005. In the early years of robotics and automated vehicles, the fight was against nature and not against a manifestly intelligent opponent. In this context, researchers and engineers in artificial intelligence aspired to design completely autonomous systems. In military environments, however, where prediction and anticipation are complicated by the existence of an intelligent adversary, it is essential to retain human operators in the control loop. Future military and civilian interface technologies will be influenced greatly by currently evolving autonomous and semiautonomous systems. Operators will act at times as monitors, as controllers, and as supervisors, each role putting different and new demands on their perceptual, motor, and cognitive capacities. In particular, future combat systems will require operators to control and monitor aerial and ground robotic systems and to act as part of larger teams coordinating diverse robotic systems over multiple echelons. The goals for future operator control units are that they be (1) integrated into the soldier’s total task environment, (2) capable of being used to monitor and control multiple systems, and (3) interchangeable, with a minimum of practice, among nonexpert soldiers. Display designers should give consideration to the trade-offs between meeting diverse operational requirements and minimizing display and control requirements. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online.

International Cooperation with Partner Air Forces

This provides access to a Rand Organization publiation written by Jennifer Moroney ...[et al] and dated 2009. The U.S. Air Force faces a challenging environment as it devises an approach to managing security cooperation with partner countries. The important mission of countering terrorist and insurgent groups abroad requires working closely with allies and partner countries to strengthen security. Accordingly, current U.S. defense strategy emphasizes that the U.S. armed forces should prepare to do more to work “by, with, and through partners” to accomplish their missions. The U.S. Air Force could benefit from an enhanced process for identifying appropriate capabilities, as well as the ability to match these capabilities to candidate partner air forces and, where appropriate, build these capabilities into capacity through focused security cooperation. It is also important to identify other useful activities from other Services and key allies to enhance capacity-building and synchronize efforts to collectively pursue U.S. objectives. Five focus areas for implementing an enhanced approach to security cooperation are detailed: increased visibility into activities; strengthening processes for planning, evaluation, and resourcing; and creating institutions that treat security cooperation the same as other major Air Force priorities. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Invisible Wounds of War : Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery

saThis give access to a study published by the Rand Organization edited by Terri Tanielian and Lisa H. Jaycox dated 2008. The study discussed in this monograph focuses on post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and traumatic brain injury, not only because of current high-level policy interest but also because, unlike the physical wounds of war, these conditions are often invisible to the eye, remaining invisible to other servicemembers, family members, and society in general. All three conditions affect mood, thoughts, and behavior; yet these wounds often go unrecognized and unacknowledged. The effect of traumatic brain injury is still poorly understood, leaving a large gap in knowledge related to how extensive the problem is or how to address it. RAND conducted a comprehensive study of the post-deployment health-related needs associated with these three conditions among OEF/OIF veterans, the health care system in place to meet those needs, gaps in the care system, and the costs associated with these conditions and with providing quality health care to all those in need. This monograph presents the results of our study, which should be of interest to mental health treatment providers; health policymakers, particularly those charged with caring for our nation’s veterans; and U.S. service men and women, their families, and the concerned public. All the research products from this study are available at http://veterans.rand.org. Data collection for this study began in April 2007 and concluded in January 2008. Specific activities included a critical review of the extant literature on the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and traumatic brain injury and their short- and long-term consequences; a population-based survey of servicemembers and veterans who served in Afghanistan or Iraq to assess health status and symptoms, as well as utilization of and barriers to care; a review of existing programs to treat servicemembers and veterans with the three conditions; focus groups with military servicemembers and their spouses; and the development of a microsimulation model to forecast the economic costs of these conditions over time. Among our recommendations is that effective treatments documented in the scientific literature — evidence-based care — are available for PTSD and major depression. Delivery of such care to all veterans with PTSD or major depression would pay for itself within two years, or even save money, by improving productivity and reducing medical and mortality costs. Such care may also be a cost-effective way to retain a ready and healthy military force for the future. However, to ensure that this care is delivered requires system-level changes across the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. health care system. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Invisible Wounds of War Summary and Recommendations for Addressing Psychological and Cognitive Injuries

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Terri Tanielian ...[et al] dated 2008. Since October 2001, approximately 1.64 million U.S. troops have been deployed for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) in Afghanistan and Iraq. Early evidence suggests that the psychological toll of these deployments —many involving prolonged exposure to combat-related stress over multiple rotations — may be disproportionately high compared with the physical injuries of combat. Concerns have been most recently centered on two combat-related injuries in particular: post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. With the increasing concern about the incidence of suicide and suicide attempts among returning veterans, concern about depression is also on the rise. The study discussed in this monograph focuses on post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and traumatic brain injury, not only because of current high-level policy interest but also because, unlike the physical wounds of war, these conditions are often invisible to the eye, remaining invisible to other servicemembers, family members, and society in general. All three conditions affect mood, thoughts, and behavior; yet, these wounds often go unrecognized and unacknowledged. The effect of traumatic brain injury is still poorly understood, leaving a large gap in knowledge related to how extensive the problem is or how to address it. This monograph summarizes key findings and recommendations from a larger RAND document entitled Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery (Tanielian and Jaycox [Eds.], Santa Monica, Calif.: MG-720-CCF, 2008), a comprehensive study RAND conducted of the post-deployment health-related needs associated with the three conditions among OEF/OIF veterans; the health care system in place to meet those needs; gaps in the care system; and the costs of filling those gaps and providing quality health care to all those in need. Readers desiring more details are referred to that document. Both monographs should be of interest to mental health treatment providers; health policymakers, particularly those charged with caring for our nation’s veterans; and U.S. service men and women, their families, and the concerned public. All the research products from this study are available at http://veterans.rand.org. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Iodotrifluoromethane : Toxicity Review (2004)

Iodotrifluoromethane (CF3I) is being considered by the US military for fire suppression to replace previously-used compounds (halons) that are being phased out because they deplete the ozone layer. This report, available from the National Academies Press, reviews available toxicological data on CF3I and evaluates the scientific basis of the U.S. Army's proposed exposure limit of 2,000 parts per million (ppm). The report recommends that CF3I be used for fire suppression in normally unoccupied spaces because of its potential to cause cardiac sensitization in test animals. The report also recommends that further genotoxicity testing be conducted (testing for changes in genetic material), and that CF3I be assessed for its potential to cause cancer. Should the Army decide to use CF3I, information should be collected and evaluated on how much of the chemical or any of its degradation products might be released and how often.

Iran's Bomb : American and Iranian Perspectives

This is the full text pdf version of the monograph written by Geoffrey Kemp, Michael Eisenstadt, Farideh Farhi, and Nasser Hadian published by the Nixon Center in March 2004. It presents papers prepared for a Nixon Center workshop on Iran's nuclear weapons programme from both American and Iranian authors. The papers within this monograph are: Iran's Bomb and What to Do About It, which warns about the dangers of allowing Iran to develop its nuclear capabilities; Delay, Deter, and Contain, Roll-Back: Toward a Strategy for Dealing with Iran�s Nuclear Ambitions; To Sign or Not to Sign?: Iran�s Evolving Domestic Debate on Nuclear Options; and Iran�s Nuclear Program: Contexts and Debates, which looks at American policy towards the Iranian nuclear programme.

Iran's Nuclear Weapons Options : Issues and Analysis

This is the full text pdf version of the monograph written by Geoffrey Kemp, Shahram Chubin, Farideh Farhi, and Richard Speier published by the Nixon Center in January 2001. It presents papers prepared for a Nixon Center workshop on Iran's nuclear weapons programme from both American and Iranian authors. The papers within this monograph are: Iran's Nuclear Options, which looks at the threat to Iran from Iraq and Iranian involvement in the Nuclear Non Profliferation Treaty (NPT); Iran's Strategic Environment and Nuclear Weapons, which looks at Iran's current security situation; To Have or Not To Have?: Iran�s Domestic Debate on Nuclear Weapons; and Iranian Missiles and Payloads, which looks at technical aspects of Iran's missile programmes.

Iran's Political, Demographic, and Economic Vulnerabilities

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Keith Crane, Rollie Lal and Jeffrey Martini dated 2008. Iran is one of the United States' most important foreign policy concerns. It has also been an extraordinarily difficult country with which to engage. Ironically, while the leadership has been hostile to the United States, Iranian society has evolved in ways friendly to the United States and U.S. interests. This monograph assesses current political, ethnic, demographic, and economic trends and vulnerabilities in Iran. For example, the numbers of young people entering the Iranian labor force are at an all-time high. The authors then provide recommendations for U.S. policies that might foster trends beneficial to U.S. interests. For example, greater use of markets and a more-vibrant private sector would contribute to the development of sources of political power independent from the current regime. The authors finally note a need for patience. Even if favorable trends take root, it will take time for them to come to fruition. [Takenb from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Issues Affecting the Future of the U.S. Space Science and Engineering Workforce: Interim Report

In January 2006, the President announced a new civilian space policy focusing on exploration. As part of its preparations to implement that policy, NASA asked the NRC to explore long-range science and technology workforce needs to achieve the space exploration vision, identify obstacles to filling those needs, and put forward solutions to those obstacles. As part of the study, the NRC held a workshop to identify important factors affecting NASA s future workforce and its capacity to implement the exploration vision. This interim report presents a summary of the highlights of that workshop and an initial set of findings. The report provides a review of the workforce implications of NASA s plans, an assessment of science and technology workforce demographics, an analysis of factors affecting the aerospace workforce for both NASA and the relevant aerospace industry, and preliminary findings and recommendations. Free registration gives access to full text online and the interim report can be downloaded in PDF format.

Kin Jong Il and North Korea : The Leader and the System

This site provides access to the full text monograph written by Dr Andrew Schobell, published by the Strategic Studies Institute in March 2006. The monograph looks at Pyongyang's political system and its leadership in order for the United States to gain a greater understanding of the Democratic Republic of Korea's politics and strategic intentions. The publication is the second in a series by the SSI titled Demystifying North Korea.

Kite Balloons to Airships : the Navy's Lighter-than-Air Experience

This online monograph is available from the web site of the US Naval Historical Center. The publication includes a cover, table of contents, introduction and a number of full text chapters covering the US Navy's lighter-than-air history from the the early days, through two world wars, to more recent developments. The text is presented as a series of PDF files.

Laboratory Biosafety Manual

This site provides access to the third edition of the World Health Organisation Laboratory Biosafety Manual, published in 2004. The manual is available to download in pdf format in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Russian and Italian. It provides practical guidance on biosafety techniques for use in laboratories and has been revised to include risk assessment and biosecurity matters.

Learning to Fly : Practical Manual

Ths gives access to a book written by Claude Graheme-White and Harry Harper and is a Project Gutenberg Release 27557# dated December 2008. It is available for on-screen browsing in text format and, as a downloadable zip file from a number of specified servers.

Leon Trotsky's The History of the Russian Revolution

This is the full text translated version of a book by Max Eastman on the history of the Russian Revolution. It is split into three volumes. Volume 1 is the Overthrow of Tzarism; volume 2 is the Attempted CounterRevolution and the Triumph of the Soviets is in volume 3. There is also a Leon Trotsky internet archive with photos and biography and a Marxist writers archive.

Lessons from Bosnia : The IFOR Experience

This is the full text of the book edited by Larry Wentz in pdf format. It covers the challenges and initiatives undertaken by NATO personnel to ensure that IFOR and Operation Joint Endeavour succeeded in bringing peace to the former Yugoslavia in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Long March : Building an Afghan National Army

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Obaid Younossi ...[et al] dated 2009. The Afghan National Army (ANA) is critical to the success of the allied efforts in Afghanistan and the ultimate stability of the national government. This monograph assesses the ANA's progress in the areas of recruitment, training, facilities, and operational capability. It draws on a variety of sources: in-country interviews with U.S., NATO, and Afghan officials; data provided by the U.S. Army; open-source literature; and a series of public opinion surveys conducted in Afghanistan over the past several years. Although the ANA has come a long way since the outset of the recent conflict in the country, the authors conclude that coalition forces, especially those of the United States, will play a crucial role in Afghanistan for the foreseeable future, particularly in light of the increased threat from Taliban forces and other illegally armed criminal groups. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Maintaining Military Medical Skills During Peacetime. Outlining and Assessing a New Approach

This technical report (MG-638-OSD) was produced by The RAND Corporation in 2008 and was written by Christine Eibner. Military medical personnel are tasked with fulfilling both the benefits mission and the readiness mission of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Currently, most military medical personnel are stationed at military treatment facilities (MTFs) during peacetime, where they maintain their clinical skills by treating beneficiaries of TRICARE, the military health care program. However, the medical skills required during deployment are likely to differ significantly from those required at MTFs. Alternative arrangements for maintaining medical skills for deployment may be needed. One alternative would be to station some military medical personnel in nonmilitary settings where the case mix might more closely resemble the expected case mix under deployment, such as emergency rooms or trauma centers. This study explored one model under which active-duty personnel would be assigned to civilian settings during peacetime, focusing on civilian receptiveness to the proposed arrangement and identifying potential barriers and concerns. Findings indicate that civilian medical organizations are generally receptive to the idea of such a model and that DoD could consider conducting a pilot study to assess the effectiveness of the model in improving military medical readiness. [Taken from abstract]. This is a PDF file, so Adobe Acrobat software will be required in order to read it.

Making the Nation Safer : The Role of Science and Technology in Countering Terrorism

Written by the Committee on Science and Technology for Countering Terrorism, National Reasearch Council, in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks on America. Published by the National Academy Press, this electronic book looks at the United States' vulnerability to terrorist attack. It discusses approaches for reducing the vulnerability of key infrastructure and improving homeland security. Topics covered include; nuclear and radiological threats, human and agricultural health systems, toxic chemicals and explosive materials, information technology, energy systems, transport systems, and cities and fixed infrastructure.

Managing Materials for a Twenty-first Century Military

This is a full text book made available by national Academies Press written by Committee on Assessing the Need for a Defense Stockpile, National Research Council and dated 2008. It is a different world from when the National Defense Stockpile (NDS) was established just before World War II. The nature of the global economy has changed, not only expanding U.S. access to the international market but also increasing competition from a growing list of other countries seeking access to sometimes scarce raw materials. In the twenty-first century, the United States is faced with several asymmetric national security threats that span the globe, requiring the military to be able to respond rapidly to sudden increased demands. Defense needs are now defined in a new context that is focused on capabilities-based planning rather than on threat-based planning. At the same time, the supply of defense systems has been transformed from a government-dominated military-industrial complex to a global, dual-use, civil-military industrial complex. The U.S. military is now more dependent on civilian industry than it was 70 years ago, when the NDS was established. Civilian industry, in turn, depends increasingly on global sourcing and on overseas R&D programs and other foreign assets. Meanwhile, industrial practice of inventory control has shifted from stockpiling and holding reserves to a just-in-time, or sense-and-respond, system for managing supply chains.In this context, the Committee on Assessing the Need for a Defense Stockpile of the National Research Council (NRC) was asked to assess the continuing need for and value of the NDS. It was also asked to discuss current defense materials needs, to reassess the necessity of stockpiling of strategic and critical defense-related materials and, if called for, to develop some general principles for any future operation and configuration. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Managing Risk in USAF Force Planning

This gives access to a Rand Organization publication written by Fram Cam ...[et al] dated May 2009. The U.S. Department of Defense is currently shifting funding from future investment programs to cover urgent war needs, accepting some increase in future risk in order to reduce risk in the near term, and this tension between current and future operational priorities is likely to worsen. To effectively manage risk across possible missions and between today and tomorrow, senior Air Force leaders must make difficult decisions. This monograph seeks to provide the Air Force with a framework to structure their deliberations, connect them to supporting staff and expert inputs, and communicate their decisions to a broader audience. It describes a risk-management process that would help senior Air Force leaders to (1) focus planning on the most salient threats, (2) gain greater clarity on the risks associated with alternative courses of action across multiple futures, (3) maintain a sense of the persistent uncertainties associated with any policy choice, and (4) effectively communicate their judgments about risk to key audiences. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is reuired in order to read it.

Managing Space Radiation Risk in the New Era of Space Exploration

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on the Evaluation of Radiation Shielding for Space Exploration, National Research Council and dated 2008. As part of the Vision for Space Exploration (VSE), NASA is planning for humans to revisit the Moon and someday go to Mars. An important consideration in this effort is protection against the exposure to space radiation. That radiation might result in severe long-term health consequences for astronauts on such missions if they are not adequately shielded. To help with these concerns, NASA asked the NRC to further the understanding of the risks of space radiation, to evaluate radiation shielding requirements, and recommend a strategic plan for developing appropriate mitigation capabilities. This book presents an assessment of current knowledge of the radiation environment; an examination of the effects of radiation on biological systems and mission equipment; an analysis of current plans for radiation protection; and a strategy for mitigating the risks to VSE astronauts. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Manpower and Personnel Needs for a Transformed Naval Force

This is a full text book made available by National Acadmies Press written by Committee on Manpower and Personnel Needs for a Transformed Naval Force, National Research Council and dated 2008. The Department of Defense (DOD) is committed to transforming the nation's armed forces to meet the military challenges of the future. One approach to achieving this transformation is by leveraging advances in science and technology. New technologies and innovations are integral to today's military actions, and associated changes have rippled through all aspects of operations, highlighting the need for changes in policies related to military personnel. At the request of the Force Chief of Naval Operations, the NRC reviewed the military manpower and personnel policies and studies currently underway in the DOD and developed an implementation strategy for the Department of the Navy's future military manpower and personnel needs. This book presents an introduction to current personnel policies of and concerns facing the Naval forces; an assessment of demographic, technological, and other forces affecting future personnel needs and availability; a summary and assessment of previous studies; an examination of the role of research tools in implementing personnel policy change; and an analysis of obstacles to and strategies for transforming the Naval forces. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is avaolable to read online in open book format.

Mastery of the Air

This provides access to a book by William J. Claxton. This is a Project Gutenberg Release 777# dated November 2009. It is available for on-screen browsing in text format and, as a downloadable zip file from a number of specified servers.

Measuring the Strategic Value of the Armed Forces Health Longitudinal Technology Application (AHLTA)

This provides access to a a Rand Organization document written by James H. Bigelow, Katherine M. Harris, and Richard Hillestad dated 2008. The Military Health System (MHS) provides health care to active duty service members and their families, retirees and their families, and Guard and Reserve members serving on active duty and their families. In January 2004, the MHS began implementation of the Armed Forces Health Longitudinal Technology Application (AHLTA), DoD's global electronic health record system. AHLTA will ultimately be used by all providers in the military's direct care system at the point of care. The authors describe a four-part framework they recommend that DoD adopt in measuring AHLTA's contribution to MHS performance: (1) outcome measures capturing valued domains of system performance plausibly influenced by the presence of AHLTA; (2) “treatments” — ways of using AHLTA that are expected to influence one or more outcome measures, (3) a logic model describing the mechanisms or processes by which uses of AHLTA (i.e., treatments) influence outcome measures, and (4) an evaluation design for estimating AHLTA's effect on outcome measures in quantitative terms. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDf format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Microelectromechanical systems : advanced materials and fabrication methods

A publication of the National Academy Press which discusses the proposition that there is a revolution underway in the field of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). Many industrial procedures, not just engineering, will be affected. it analyses the nature of this "revolution".

More Freedom, Less Terror? : Liberalization and Political Violence in the Arab World

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Dalia Dassa Kaye ...[et al] dated 2008. In the wake of September 11 through the U.S. invasion of Iraq, a key tenet of U.S. foreign policy has been that promoting democracy in the Arab world is an important strategy in reducing terrorism; at the same time, some policymakers and analysts have held that democracy has nothing to do with terrorism — or even that the growth of democracy in the Middle East may exacerbate political violence. However, scant empirical evidence links democracy to terrorism, positively or negatively. This study examines whether such links exist by exploring the effects of liberalization processes on political violence in Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, and Morocco from 1991 to 2006. Drawing on data on the incidence of terrorist violence, extensive fieldwork and interviews in each of the six countries, and primary and secondary literature from and about each country, Kaye et al. find that political reforms have, in some instances, helped to marginalize and undercut extremist actors, but that these effects tend to be short-lived if reforms fail to produce tangible results. Moreover, when regimes backtrack on even limited openings, the risks of instability and violence increase. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required.

Nanophotonics : Accessibility and Applicability

This is a full text book made available by National Acadmies Press written by Committee on Nanophotonics Accessibility and Applicability, National Research Council and dated 2008. The Committee on Technology Insight-Gauge, Evaluate & Review set up by the NRC at the request of the Defense Intelligence Agency, has selected a number of emerging technologies to investigate for their potential threats to and opportunities for national security. This first study focused on emerging applications of nanophotonics, which is about the interaction of matter and light at the scale of the wavelength of the light. Manipulation of matter at that scale allows tailoring the optical properties to permit a wide-range of commercial and defense applications. This book presents a review of the nanoscale phenomena underpinning nanophotonics, an assessment of enabling technologies for developing new applications, an examination of potential military applications, and an assessment of foreign investment capabilities. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

NASA Aeronautics Research : Assessment

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee for the Assessment of NASA's Aeronautics Research Program, National Research Council and dated 2008. In 2006, the NRC published a Decadal Survey of Civil Aeronautics: Foundation for the Future, which set out six strategic objectives for the next decade of civil aeronautics research and technology. To determine how NASA is implementing the decadal survey, Congress mandated in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Act of 2005 that the NRC carry out a review of those efforts. Among other things, this report presents an assessment of how well NASA's research portfolio is addressing the recommendations and high priority R&T challenges identified in the Decadal Survey; how well NASA's aeronautic research portfolio is addressing the aeronautics research requirements; and whether the nation will have the skilled workforce and research facilities to meet the first two items. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

NASA Cost Estimating Handbook

This site provides the full text of the updated 2008 handbook in HTML format, accessible chapter-by-chapter. It is designed to provide useful information on cost estimating for the entire NASA cost estimating community. Its objective is to be both informative for the new NASA cost estimator and a good reference document for the experienced NASA cost estimator. Helpful to project Continuous Cost-Risk Management (CCRM) participants, who include Project Managers, Headquarters (HQ) staff, the resource community, and the systems engineering community, the information included in this handbook provides NASA-relevant perspectives and NASA-centric data useful in the NASA environment and facilitates the development of reliable, comprehensive, defensible, and well-documented cost estimates.

NASA's Elementary and Secondary Education Program : Review and Critique

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Helen R. Quinn, Heidi A. Schweingruber, and Michael A. Feder, Editors, Committee for the Review and Evaluation of NASA's Precollege Education Program, National Research Council and dated 2008. The federal role in precollege science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is receiving increasing attention in light of the need to support public understanding of science and to develop a strong scientific and technical workforce in a competitive global economy. Federal science agencies, such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), are being looked to as a resource for enhancing precollege STEM education and bringing more young people to scientific and technical careers. For NASA and other federal science agencies, concerns about workforce and public understanding of science also have an immediate local dimension. The agency faces an aerospace workforce skewed toward those close to retirement and job recruitment competition for those with science and engineering degrees. In addition, public support for the agency’s missions stems in part from public understanding of the importance of the agency’s contributions in science, engineering, and space exploration. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

NASA's Nuclear Frontier : The Plum Brook Reactor Facility

This file provides the full text of a book in PDF format entitled 'NASA's Nuclear Frontier : The Plum Brook Reactor Facility'. Written by Mark D. Bowles and Robert S. Arrighi in 2004, it is No. 33 in the Monographs in Aerospace History series, NASA SP-2004-4533. This book provides a visual history of the Plum Brook Reactor, which became one of the primary research facilities to test materials for the nuclear rocket, a project which was shelved in 1973. The reactor was shut down and the site remained on standby until 1998 when a decommissioning plan was formulated.

Navy's Needs in Space for Providing Future Capabilities

This provides access to a National Academies Press publication dated 2005. The United States must operate successfully in space to help assure its security and economic well being. The Department of the Navy is a major user of space capabilities, although those capabilities are now primarily provided by DOD, the Air Force, and NOAA. Following a DOD assessment of national space security management in 2001, the Navy commissioned a Panel to Review Space to assess Navy space policy and strategy. As an extension of that review, the NRC was requested by the Navy to examine its needs in space for providing future operational and technical capabilities. This report presents a discussion of the strategic framework of future space needs, the roles and responsibilities for meeting those needs, an assessment of Navy support to space mission areas, and a proposed vision for fulfilling Naval forces space needs. [Taken from abstract]. The full text can be read online in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat is required in order to read it.

Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies : Interim Report

This provides access to a National Academies Press publication dated 2009. The United States is currently the only country with an active, government-sponsored effort to detect and track potentially hazardous near-Earth objects (NEOs). Congress has mandated that NASA detect and track 90 percent of NEOs that are 1 kilometer in diameter or larger. These objects represent a great potential hazard to life on Earth and could cause global destruction. NASA is close to accomplishing this goal. Congress has more recently mandated that by 2020 NASA should detect and track 90 percent of NEOs that are 140 meters in diameter or larger, a category of objects that is generally recognized to represent a very significant threat to life on Earth if they strike in or near urban areas. Achieving this goal may require the building of one or more additional observatories, possibly including a space-based observatory. Congress directed NASA to ask the National Research Council to review NASA's near-Earth object programs. This interim report addresses some of the issues associated with the survey and detection of NEOs. The final report will contain findings and recommendations for survey and detection, characterization, and mitigation of near-Earth objects based on an integrated assessment of the problem. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is avialble in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

North Korea's Strategic Intentions

This site provides access to the full text monograph written by Dr Andrew Scobell and published by the Strategic Studies Institute in July 2005. The monograph is an analysis of Pyongyang's strategic intentions and motivations, which divides expert opinions on North Korea into three categories and then tests which of these theories reflect actual North Korean policies.

Numerical Methods for 1D Compressible Flows : An Interactive Book

This is an interactive text book produced by M. Manzinni, A. Ticca and G. Zanetti of the Center for Advanced Studies, Research and Development, Sardinia, Italy. The book aims to present numerical methods for the solution of 1D compressible problems. The book is divided into three separate parts - a description of the issues involved, a discussion of the numerical methods involved and interactive examples. It is in HTML format.

Occupying Iraq : History of the Coalition Provisional Authority

This gives access to a Rand Organization publication written by James Dobbins ...[et al] dated 2009. The American engagement in Iraq has been looked at from many perspectives — the flawed intelligence that provided the war's rationale, the failed effort to secure an international mandate, the rapid success of the invasion, and the long ensuing counterinsurgency campaign. This book focuses on the activities of the Coalition Provisional Authority and its administrator, L. Paul Bremer, who governed Iraq from May 2003 to June of the following year. It is based on interviews with many of those responsible for setting and implementing occupation policy, on the memoirs of American and Iraqi officials who have since left office, on journalists' accounts of the period, and on nearly 100,000 never-before-released CPA documents. The book recounts and evaluates the efforts of the United States and its coalition partners to restore public services, reform the judicial and penal systems, fight corruption, revitalize the economy, and create the basis for representative government. It also addresses the occupation's most striking failure: the inability of the United States and its coalition partners to protect the Iraqi people from the criminals and extremists in their midst. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format soAdobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Opening New Frontiers in Space : Choices for the Next New Frontiers Announcement of Opportunity

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on New Opportunities in Solar System Exploration: An Evaluation of the New Frontiers Announcement of Opportunity, National Research Council and dated 2008. The New Frontiers Program was created by NASA in 2002 at the recommendation of the NRC's decadal survey for solar system research. In order to optimize solar system research, the NRC recommended a series of principal-investigator missions that encourage innovation and accomplish the main scientific objectives presented in the survey. Two of the five recommended missions have been selected and, as was also recommended in the survey, the NRC was asked in 2007 to provide criteria and guiding principles to NASA for determining the list of candidate missions. This book presents a review of eight missions: the three remaining from the original list of five from the survey plus five missions considered by the survey committee but which were not recommended. Included in the review of each mission is a discussion of relevant science and technology developments since the survey and set of recommended science goals. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Opportunities in Aviation

This gives access to a book by Arthur Sweetser and Gordon Lamont and is a Project Gutenberg Release 23581# dated November 2007. It is available for on-screen browsing in text format and, as a downloadable zip file from a number of specified servers.

Opportunities in Neuroscience for Future Army Applications

This provides access to a National Academies online book dated 2009. Advances and major investments in the field of neuroscience can enhance traditional behavioral science approaches to training, learning, and other applications of value to the Army. Neural-behavioral indicators offer new ways to evaluate how well an individual trainee has assimilated mission critical knowledge and skills, and can also be used to provide feedback on the readiness of soldiers for combat. Current methods for matching individual capabilities with the requirements for performing high-value Army assignments do not include neuropsychological, psychophysiological, neurochemical or neurogenetic components; simple neuropsychological testing could greatly improve training success rates for these assignments.Opportunities in Neuroscience for Future Army Applications makes 17 recommendations that focus on utilizing current scientific research and development initiatives to improve performance and efficiency, collaborating with pharmaceutical companies to employ neuropharmaceuticals for general sustainment or enhancement of soldier performance, and improving cognitive and behavioral performance using interdisciplinary approaches and technological investments. An essential guide for the Army, this book will also be of interest to other branches of military, national security and intelligence agencies, academic and commercial researchers, pharmaceutical companies, and others interested in applying the rapid advances in neuroscience to the performance of individual and group tasks. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

no title available

no description supplied

Opportunities in Neuroscience for Future Army Applications

This provides access to a National Academies Press publication dated 2009. Advances and major investments in the field of neuroscience can enhance traditional behavioral science approaches to training, learning, and other applications of value to the Army. Neural-behavioral indicators offer new ways to evaluate how well an individual trainee has assimilated mission critical knowledge and skills, and can also be used to provide feedback on the readiness of soldiers for combat. Current methods for matching individual capabilities with the requirements for performing high-value Army assignments do not include neuropsychological, psychophysiological, neurochemical or neurogenetic components; simple neuropsychological testing could greatly improve training success rates for these assignments. Opportunities in Neuroscience for Future Army Applications makes 17 recommendations that focus on utilizing current scientific research and development initiatives to improve performance and efficiency, collaborating with pharmaceutical companies to employ neuropharmaceuticals for general sustainment or enhancement of soldier performance, and improving cognitive and behavioral performance using interdisciplinary approaches and technological investments. An essential guide for the Army, this book will also be of interest to other branches of military, national security and intelligence agencies, academic and commercial researchers, pharmaceutical companies, and others interested in applying the rapid advances in neuroscience to the performance of individual and group tasks. [Takend from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in PDF format.

Opportunities to Improve Airport Passenger Screening with Mass Spectrometry

This is an e-book published by National Academies Press and produced by Committee on Assessment of Security Technologies for Transportation, National Research Council in 2004. The book is first in the series of investigation of the technologies and opportunites to protect the travelling public from terrorsit threats involving explosives. It presents an assessment of mass spectrometry for enhanced trace detection (ETD) of chemicals contained in explosives. The report describes limitations of trace detection in general and the current technologies in particular. It also presents a discussion of the potential for mass spectrometry to improve EDT including challenges faced by such a system, recommendations for starting a program to take advantage of mass spectrometry, and recommendations for a phased implementation plan.

Options for Meeting the Maintenance Demands of Active Associate Flying Units

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by John G. Drew ...[et al] and dated 2008. The methodology developed in this research can be used to quantify and compare the key factors that allow the U.S. Air National Guard to generate peacetime training sorties with a fairly small full-time workforce. The authors apply these insights to proposed Total Force Integration initiatives to evaluate maintenance options for supporting associate units, where the goal of the unit is to produce trained pilots in the most efficient manner possible. The methodology evaluates how various types of personnel can influence the size and productivity of a unit. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in ordert to read it.

Orbital Debris: A Technical Assessment

This full text report is produced by the Committee on Space Debris within the National Research Council. It outlines the methods we can use to characterize orbital debris, estimates the magnitude of the debris population, and assesses the hazard that this population poses to spacecraft. Potential methods to protect spacecraft are explored. The report also takes a close look at the projected future growth in the debris population and evaluates approaches to reducing that growth. Recommendations are offered for targeted research on the debris population, for methods to improve the protection of spacecraft, and on methods to reduce the creation of debris in the future. [Taken from abstract]. "...an excellent, well-written summary on the worrisome dilemma caused by orbital debris. Highly recommended."--Space News

Overcoming Challenges to Develop Countermeasures Against Aerosolized Bioterrorism Agents : Appropriate Use of Animal Models

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on Animal Models for Testing Interventions Against Aerosolized Bioterrorism Agents, National Research Council and dated 2006. The following HTML text is provided to enhance online readability. Many aspects of typography translate only awkwardly to HTML. Please use the page image as the authoritative form to ensure accuracy. Summary Incidents involving the dissemination of Bacillus anthracis and ricin through the U.S. postal service beginning in 2001 have led the federal government to focus attention on the importance of developing countermeasures1 to agents of bioterrorism. The President’s 2006 federal budget included $4.2 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services to address bioterrorism. $1.7 billion of that request was slated for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to accelerate the development of new and improved countermeasures against potential agents of bioterrorism (DHHS 2005). The NIAID’s Strategic Plan for Biodefense Research (2002) recognizes that bioterrorism agents2 dispersed in aerosol form have the greatest potential to cause widespread disease. Therefore, NIAID’s Strategic Plan gives highest priority to developing countermeasures to those bioterrorism agents that have a high infectivity in aerosol form (NIAID 2002). Since, during the course of studying bioterrorism agents, it is not ethically appropriate to deliberately expose human subjects to bioterrorism agents, development of countermeasures relies on the ability of the scientific community to adequately test the effectiveness of countermeasures in animal models. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Pacification in Algeria, 1956-1958

This technical report (MG-478-1-ARPA/RC) was published by The RAND Corporation in 2006 and was written by David Galula. When Algerian nationalists launched a rebellion against French rule in November 1954, France, mired in similar wars for independence in its colonial territories, was in a poor position to cope with further upheaval. The Algerian strategy encompassed varying approaches and was more adaptable than that of the French, necessitating a rethinking of traditional counterinsurgency methods. In this volume, originally published in 1963, David Galula reconstructs the story of his highly successful command in the district of Greater Kabylia, east of Algiers, at the height of the rebellion, and presents his theories on counterinsurgency and pacification. In the process, he confronts the larger political, psychological, and military aspects of the Algerian war, and provides a context for present-day counterinsurgency operations. This groundbreaking work retains its relevancy as a challenge to traditional counterinsurgency tactics and presents approaches to predicting, managing, and resolving insurgent and guerilla conflict. The parallels between the Algerian war and modern warfare are striking, and lessons can be extracted from French successes and failures in its drive to contain and manage the Algerian uprising. A new foreword by counterterrorism expert Bruce Hoffman elucidates the relevance of this historic study in the context of modern times. [Taken from abstract]. This is a PDF file so Adobe Acrobat software will be required in order to read it.

Pakistan : Can the United States Secure an Insecure State?

This provides access to a Rand Corporation publication written by Christine Fair ...[et al] and dated 2010. Describing Pakistan's likely future course, this book seeks to inform U.S. efforts to achieve an effective foreign policy strategy toward the country. The book forms an empirical analysis of developments in Pakistan and an assessment of the effectiveness of U.S. policy as of August 2009. Drawing on interviews of elites, polling data, and statistical data on Pakistan's armed forces, the book presents a political and political-military analysis. Primary data and analyses from Pakistanis and international economic organizations are used in the book's demographic and economic analyses. The book assesses Pakistan's own policies, based on similar sources, on government documents, and on the authors' close reading of the assessments of several outside observers. The book also discusses U.S. policy regarding Pakistan, which was based on interviews with U.S. policymakers and on U.S. policy documents. The policy recommendations are based on an assessment of the findings in all these areas. The book concludes with a number of recommendations for the U.S. government and the U.S. Air Force concerning how the United States could forge a broad yet effective relationship with this complicated state. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Parachute Rigger Handbook

Published by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Airman Testing Standards Branch in 2005, this operational handbook introduces the basic skills necessary for acquiring a parachute rigger certificate. is primarily intended to assist individuals who are preparing for the parachute rigger airman knowledge test and the oral and practical test. The material presented in this handbook is appropriate for senior and master parachute riggers. The handbook contains information on regulations and human factors, design and construction, materials, operations, inspection and packing, hand tools, sewing machines, the parachute loft, repairs, alterations, and manufacture. The text of the document is available in PDF (44.9 Mb) format

Parametric Estimating Handbook

This Parametric Estimating Handbook is a comprehensive, “all in one place” guide for Industry and Government acquisition professionals who prepare, evaluate, or negotiate proposals which use parametric estimating techniques or for project stakeholders who wish to gain a better understanding of the application and use of parametric cost estimating. This handbook also serves as a foundation for companies that want to make more use of parametric tools in developing the basis of estimate (BOE) for their proposals to the Government or otherwise expand their use of parametrics. The Fourth Edition of the Parametric Cost Estimating Handbook is now available (there are two PDF files: The Basic Handbook and The Associated Appendices ). The Third Edition is also available as a zip file.

Paths of Heaven : The Evolution of Airpower Theory

This document was produced by the School of Advanced Airpower Studies and edited by Philip S. Meilinger. It is a collection of fifteen essays which chart the development of airpower theory from its roots with Giulio Douhert, through Royal Air Force and European doctrine during the interwar years, to current theories on space power. It covers airpower theory from the United States, United Kingdom, Russia and Europe in general.

Performance Assessment of NASA's Heliophysics Program

This gives access to a National Academies Press publication dated 2009. Since the 1990s, the pace of discovery in the field of solar and space physics has accelerated, largely owing to NASA investments in its Heliophysics Great Observatory fleet of spacecraft. These enable researchers to investigate connections between events on the Sun and in the space environment by combining multiple points of view. Recognizing the importance of observations of the Sun-to-Earth system, the National Research Council produced a solar and space physics decadal survey in 2003, laying out the Integrated Research Strategy. This strategy provided a prioritized list of flight missions, plus theory and modeling programs, that would advance the relevant physical theories, incorporate those theories in models that describe a system of interactions between the Sun and the space environment, obtain data on the system, and analyze and test the adequacy of the theories and models. Five years later, this book measures NASA's progress toward the goals and priorities laid out in the 2003 study. Unfortunately, very little of the recommended priorities will be realized before 2013. Mission cost growth, reordering of survey mission priorities, and unrealized budget assumptions have delayed nearly all of the recommended NASA spacecraft missions. The resulting loss of synergistic capabilities in space will constitute a serious impediment to future progress. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Performance Evaluation and Army Recruiting

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by James N. Dertouzos and Steven Garber and dated 2008. Designing and implementing performance metrics that support Army goals requires analysis of how different metrics would affect recruiter behavior and, in turn, recruiters’ contributions toward achieving the Army’s goals. The authors evaluate traditional performance metrics, such as number of contracts signed per month per recruiter, and find that they do not adequately measure recruiter effort, skill, and productivity. They then develop a “preferred performance metric” that takes into account the difficulty of recruiting different types of youth in various markets. Using a performance metric that better reflects Army values and more accurately assesses recruiter effort and skill would have significant benefits. However, because the recruiter reward system is deeply engrained, the authors propose modest, gradual changes to the system — for example, improving mission allocation algorithms to reflect variations in market quality and differences in market segments and lengthening the performance evaluation window to at least six months to reduce emphasis on monthly station-level mission accomplishment. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is reuqired in order to read it.

Planning for Diversity : Options and Recommendations for DoD Leaders

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Nelson Lim, Michelle Cho and Kimberley Curry Hall dated 2008. Despite the U.S. armed forces' historical role as a model for racial integration and decades of Department of Defense (DoD) efforts to promote racial and ethnic diversity, many groups are still underrepresented within the department, especially among DoD's active duty and civilian leadership. This is a particularly important issue for DoD because many military leaders believe that maintaining a diverse workforce is critical for the department's national security mission. This report discusses the initial steps that DoD should take in developing a department-wide plan to achieve greater diversity within its active duty and civilian leadership. To create a strategic plan for diversity, the authors explain, DoD leaders must articulate a vision for where they want the organization to go, and this vision statement must clearly define what type of diversity DoD wants to achieve. The next step is to set specific goals for the various components of DoD and to develop strategies for meeting those goals. Finally, Lim, Cho, and Curry emphasize that the strategic plan will fail unless there are ways to both measure the progress toward the plan's goals and hold leaders accountable for such progress. The report draws on findings from the DoD Diversity Summit held in Washington, D.C., on February 27–28, 2007, and includes an appendix that summarizes presentations and discussions from the summit. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Policy Issues in Aerospace Offsets

This is the full text of a workshop organised by the National Research Council Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy. The workshop examined the various pressures facing US companies to grant offsets in the the face of increasing global competition in both defence and commercial aerospace markets. The contents include an overview of the offsets issue, direct and indirect offsets, technical dimensions of national security, impacts on key suppliers and sub-tier producers, implications for employment. The proceedings of the workshop were published by National Academy Press in 1997.

Post-Challenger Assessment of Space Shuttle Flight Rates and Utilization

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press and produced by Committee on NASA Scientific and Technological Program Reviews, Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems, National Research Council. The report was created following the Challenger loss and few months before the US President's statement announcing to build a fourth space shuttle and to end NASA's launching of commercial satellites. The report highlights the key assumption regarding whether the nation intended to have further manned space-flights or not, made for the assessment. The key issues identified and dealt with in the report include flight rates; fleet concept; launch demand; and payload partioning. The book is available in open book PDF form.

Post-Challenger Evaluation of Space Shuttle Risk Assessment and Management

This is a full text book available from National Academies Press and produced by Committee on Shuttle Criticality Review and Hazard Analysis Audit, Space Applications Board, Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems, National Research Council. Following the Challenger accident, NASA initiated a wide range of actions designed to ensure greater safety in various aspects of the Shuttle system and improved focus on safety throughput the National Space Transportation System (NSTS) Program. NASA reviewed the certain safety critical items on the shuttle as well as the existing analyses of hazards that could affect shuttle operations and identified the needed improvements in the shuttle program. The specific features on which the study was focussed were: the Critical Items List; the Failure Modes and Effect Analysis (FMEA); and the Hazards Analysis and their Review. The report is available in open book PDF form.

Power to the Edge : Command Control in the Information Age

This is the full text pdf version of the book written by David S. Alberts and Richard E. Hayes, published by the Department of Defense Command and Control Research Program in June 2003. The book is part of the Information Age Transformation Series and looks at: the power of information; command and control approaches in the information age; industrial age command and control; the breakdown of industrial age organising principles and processes; the information age; desired characteristics of information age forces; interoperability; agility; power and the edge; the power of power to the edge organisations; and edge oriented mission capability packages.

Pre-Milestone A and Early-Phase Systems Engineering : Retrospective Review and Benefits for Future Air Force Acquisition

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on Pre-Milestone A Systems Engineering: A Retrospective Review and Benefits for Future Air Force Systems Acquisition, National Research Council and dated 2008. The ability of U.S. military forces to field new weapons systems quickly and to contain their cost growth has declined significantly over the past few decades. There are many causes including increased complexity, funding instability, bureaucracy, and more diverse user demands, but a view that is gaining more acceptance is that better systems engineering (SE) could help shorten development time. To investigate this assertion in more detail, the US Air Force asked the NRC to examine the role that SE can play during the acquisition life cycle to address root causes of program failure especially during pre-milestone A and early program phases. This book presents an assessment of the relationship between SE and program outcome; an examination of the SE workforce; and an analysis of SE functions and guidelines. The latter includes a definition of the minimum set of SE processes that need to be accounted for during project development. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Preliminary Considerations Regarding NASA's Bioastronautics Critical Path Roadmap : Interim Report

This is a full text book produced by the Committee on Review of NASA s Bioastronautics Critical Path Roadmap and is published by National Academies Press in 2005. The NASA�s Bioastronautics Critical Path Roadmap (BCPR) defines risk as �the conditional probability of an adverse event occurring, or a system performance-related inefficiency.� Potential hazards include exposure of the crew to space radiation, degraded crew performance related to human behavioral and other health changes, failure of life support systems, and the adverse effects of space flight on human biological systems including the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, neurovestibular, endocrine, neuropsychiatric, and immune systems. Human factors are critically important in risk assessment and countermeasure development, including engineering design for human space flight. The BCPR is designed to provide summary assessments of the importance of each risk, and the current state of science and technology with respect to minimizing them. This is the interim report of the IOM (Institute of Medicine) committee�s review of NASA�s BCPR. The purpose of this report is to provide NASA with preliminary conclusions regarding the strengths and weakness of the BCPR. The committee�s final report, due in August 2005, will elaborate on these preliminary conclusions and provide NASA with recommendations about how to address the issues that are identified by the committee.

Preventive War and Its Alternatives: The Lessons of History

This web site provides access to a United States Strategic Studies Institute publication written by Dan Reiter dated April 2006. The 2002 National Security Strategy suggested preventive attacks, diplomacy, deterrence, and other policies as means of curtailing threats presented by the spread of nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) weapons to terrorists and rogue states. The author analyzes which mix of these policies might best and most cost effectively address the NBC threat, with special focus on preventive attacks. The past performances of preventive attacks, diplomacy, deterrence, and other policies as means of curtailing the NBC threat are analyzed. The central findings are that preventive attacks are generally unsuccessful at delaying the spread of NBC weapons; that deterrence, especially nuclear deterrence, is highly successful at preventing the use of NBC weapons by states; and that diplomacy has had moderate and perhaps unappreciated success at curtailing the spread of NBC weapons. The author also discusses how funds spent on preventive wars, which are much more expensive than diplomacy or deterrence, might be better spent to combat threats from terrorism and proliferation, on initiatives such as fissile material recovery, ballistic missile defense, and port security. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat will be required in order to read it.

Progress in Flying Machines

Written by Octave Chanute and originally published in 1894, this full text version has been produced by Cory Kotowsky and Gary Bradshaw. Please note that although the full text is online, only about two-thirds of the pictures have been scanned. The text is presented in a series of sections that reflect the 27 articles that Chanute wrote for The Railroad and Engineering Journal. This is contained in the Digital Library of the the Invention of the Airplane, which is one of the resouces availalable as part the Virtual Museum of the Invention of the Airplane.

Protecting the Space Station from Meteoroids and Orbital Debris

This full text book details a study carried out by the National Research Council in 1997 concerning the International Space Station. Within it, the authors consider the risk to the ISS from meteoroids and orbital debris taking into account its size and long operational time span and evaluate the efforts made by the program team to reduce the potential risk and the effects to the Station. The book is best viewed by a browser capable of viewing tables.

PTSD Compensation and Military Service

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on Veterans Compensation for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Institute of Medicine and National Research Council and dated 2007. The scars of war take many forms: the limb lost, the illness brought on by a battlefield exposure, and, for some, the psychological toll of encountering an extremely traumatic event. PTSD Compensation and Military Service presents a thorough assessment of how the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs evaluates veterans with possible posttraumatic stress disorder and determines the level of disability support to which they are entitled. The book presents a history of mental health disability compensation of military personnel and reviews the current compensation and pension examination procedure and disability determination methodology. It offers a number of recommendations for changes that would improve the fairness, consistency, and scientific foundation of this vital program. This book will be of interest and importance to policy makers, veterans affairs groups, the armed forces, health care organizations, and veterans themselves. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Quest for Performance : The Evolution of Modern Aircraft

This provides access to a NASA History Office publication, NASA SP-468, by Laurence K. Loftin, Jr, NASA Scientific and Technical Information Branch, Washington, D.C. 1985. It traces the technical development of the airplane since World War I. It describes significant aircraft that incorporated important technical innovations and served to shape the future course of aeronautical development, as well as aircraft that represented the state of the art of aeronautical technology in a particular time frame or that were very popular and produced in great numbers. Primary emphasis has been placed on aircraft originating in the United States. The discussion is related primarily to aircraft configuration evolution and associated aerodynamic characteristics and, to a lesser extent, to developments in aircraft construction and propulsion. The material is presented in a manner designed to appeal to the nontechnical reader who is interested in the evolution of the airplane, as well as to students of aeronautical engineering or others with an aeronautical background. The full text is available in HTML format.

Question of Balance : Political Context and Military Aspects of the China-Taiwan Dispute

This gives access to a Rand Corporation publication written David Shlapak ...[et al] and dated 2009. The relationship between China and Taiwan is more stable in 2009 than it has been in years, but China has nonetheless not renounced its “right” to use force to forestall Taiwan's “independence”. At the same time, the cross-strait military balance is shifting in ways that are problematic for Taiwan's defense: The growing size and quality of China's missile arsenal, along with other advances in Chinese military capabilities, call into question the United States' and Taiwan's ability to defend the island against a large-scale Chinese attack. In this volume, the authors employ a mix of theater-level combat modeling, simpler mathematical models, historical analysis, interviews with experts, and qualitative judgment to evaluate both the China-Taiwan political dynamic and the cross-strait military balance. Shlapak et al. conclude with a discussion of how Taiwan might be successfully defended against a Chinese invasion attempt. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Radioisotope Power Systems : Imperative for Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Space Exploration

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press dated 2009. Spacecraft require electrical energy. This energy must be available in the outer reaches of the solar system where sunlight is very faint. It must be available through lunar nights that last for 14 days, through long periods of dark and cold at the higher latitudes on Mars, and in high-radiation fields such as those around Jupiter. Radioisotope power systems (RPSs) are the only available power source that can operate unconstrained in these environments for the long periods of time needed to accomplish many missions, and plutonium-238 (238Pu) is the only practical isotope for fueling them. Plutonium-238 does not occur in nature. The committee does not believe that there is any additional 238Pu (or any operational 238Pu production facilities) available anywhere in the world.The total amount of 238Pu available for NASA is fixed, and essentially all of it is already dedicated to support several pending missions the Mars Science Laboratory, Discovery 12, the Outer Planets Flagship 1 (OPF 1), and (perhaps) a small number of additional missions with a very small demand for 238Pu. If the status quo persists, the United States will not be able to provide RPSs for any subsequent missions. [Taken from abstract]. The full text can be read online in open book format.

Radioisotope Power Systems : Imperative for Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Space Exploration

This provides access to a National Academies Press publication dated 2009. Spacecraft require electrical energy. This energy must be available in the outer reaches of the solar system where sunlight is very faint. It must be available through lunar nights that last for 14 days, through long periods of dark and cold at the higher latitudes on Mars, and in high-radiation fields such as those around Jupiter. Radioisotope power systems (RPSs) are the only available power source that can operate unconstrained in these environments for the long periods of time needed to accomplish many missions, and plutonium-238 (238Pu) is the only practical isotope for fueling them. Plutonium-238 does not occur in nature. The committee does not believe that there is any additional 238Pu (or any operational 238Pu production facilities) available anywhere in the world.The total amount of 238Pu available for NASA is fixed, and essentially all of it is already dedicated to support several pending missions--the Mars Science Laboratory, Discovery 12, the Outer Planets Flagship 1 (OPF 1), and (perhaps) a small number of additional missions with a very small demand for 238Pu. If the status quo persists, the United States will not be able to provide RPSs for any subsequent missions. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Reconstruction Under Fire : Unifying Civil and Military Counterinsurgency

This provides access ot a Rand Organization publication witten by David C. Gampert ...[et al] and dated 2009. Effective civilian relief, reconstruction, and development work can help convince people to support their government against insurgency. Knowing this, insurgents will target such work, threatening both those who perform it and those who benefit from it. Too often, the result is a postponement of efforts to improve government and serve the population until contested territory has been cleared of insurgents. This can lead to excessive reliance on force to defeat insurgents — delaying or even preventing success. A RAND team with combined security and development expertise set out to learn how civilian counterinsurgency (civil COIN) (essential human services, political reform, physical reconstruction, economic development, and indigenous capacity-building) could be conducted more safely in the face of active insurgency, when it can do the most good. The authors propose the following to improve the security of civil COIN under fire: a concept for setting priorities among civil COIN measures; a way to allocate security forces optimally among various civil COIN activities, as well as between them and other COIN security missions (e.g., direct operations against insurgents); new, integrated concepts of operation (ICONOPS) that military and civilian leaders could employ during COIN campaigns to manage risk and produce best results for COIN as a whole; and general requirements for capabilities and corresponding investments to secure civil COIN, derived from ICONOPS. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Reducing the Costs of Space Science Research Missions : Proceedings of a Workshop

Published by the US National Research Council's Joint Committee on Technology for Space Science and Applications, this site provides the full text of a workshop held in 1996. The aim of the workshop was to identify ways in which the cost of space science missions can be reduced. The proceedings describe the methodology used, provide a summary of findings and include appendices. It is available in HTML format.

Reducing the Logistics Burden for the Army After Next: Doing More with Less

This report written in 1999 is designed to look into future requirements for new technology in order to provide the necessary logistic capability for the 'Army After Next'. The table of contents is searchable on-line.

Regime and Periphery in Northern Yemen The Huthi Phenomenon

This provides access to a Rand Corporation publication written by Barak A. Salmoni, Bryce Loidolt and Madeleine Wells dated 2010. For nearly six years, the government of Yemen has conducted military operations north of the capital against groups of its citizens known as “Huthis.” In spite of using all means at its disposal, the government has been unable to subdue the Huthi movement. Along with southern discontent and al-Qa'ida-inspired terrorism, the Huthi conflict presents an enduring threat to the stability of Yemen and the regime of its president. This book presents an in-depth look at the conflict in all its sociocultural, political, and military aspects. Basing their research on a wide variety of sources, both Western and non-Western, the authors provide a history of the Huthi movement and its origins in the Zaydi branch of Islam. They discuss the various stages of the conflict in detail and map out its possible future trajectories. In spite of a recent ceasefire, the 2009-2010 round of fighting, featuring Saudi involvement and Iranian rhetorical condemnation of Saudi-Yemeni actions, points to the conflict becoming transnational and increasingly sectarian. These developments run contrary to the interests of the United States and its friends in the region, as they seek to combat al-Qa'ida-related threats and build Yemeni capacity. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Repair Network Concept for Air Force Maintenance Conclusions from Analysis of C-130, F-16, and KC-135 Fleets

This provides access to a Rand Corporation publication written by Robert Tripp ...[et al] and dated 2010. For more than 15 years, the U.S. Air Force has been continually engaged in deployed operations in Southwest Asia and in other locations. Recent Office of the Secretary of Defense planning guidance directs the services to plan for high levels of engagement and deployed operations, although their nature, locations, durations, and intensity may be unknown. Recognizing that this new guidance might impose different demands on the logistics system, senior Air Force logistics leaders asked RAND Project AIR FORCE to undertake a logistics enterprise analysis. This analysis aims to identify and rethink the basic issues and premises on which the Air Force plans, organizes, and operates its logistics enterprise. This monograph synthesizes the results of the initial phases of the logistics enterprise study. It describes an analysis of repair network options to support three series of aircraft: C-130, KC-135, and F-16. It assesses the effect of consolidating certain scheduled maintenance tasks and off-equipment component repair at centralized repair facilities. It also discusses an initial assessment of maintenance concepts that integrate wing-level and depot-level maintenance processes. Consolidated wing-level scheduled inspections and component back-shop maintenance capabilities would be more effective and efficient than the current system, in which every wing has significant maintenance capabilities to accomplish these activities. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Review and Evaluation of the Air Force Hypersonic Technology Program

Written by the Committee on Review and Evaluation of the Air Force Hypersonic Technology Program at the National Research Council, this report (available in full text) was produced in 1998. It charts a study that was undertaken in response to a request by the U.S. Air Force that the National Research Council (NRC) examine whether the technologies that underlie the concept of a hypersonic, air-launched, air-breathing, hydrocarbon-fueled missile with speeds up to Mach 81 can be demonstrated in time to be initially operational by 2015. The report is available online in two formats: Open Book and HTML. The site also provides price and other information for ordering printed copies. There is also link to a new search generator called the 'Research Dashboard' by which specfic keywords or terms can be found within the book.

Review of International Technologies for Destruction of Recovered Chemical Warfare Materiel

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on Review and Evaluation of International Technologies for the Destruction of Non-Stockpile Chemical Materiel, National Research Council and dated 2006. The purpose of this study was to identify and evaluate technologies developed or refined outside the United States that could be useful in future non-stockpile chemical warfare materiel recovery and destruction operations conducted by the U.S. Army. Candidate technologies could offer complementary capabilities or even replace current equipment or approaches. The statement of task for this study charged the Committee on Review and Evaluation of International Technologies for the Destruction of Non-Stockpile Chemical Materiel with evaluating international systems, facilities, and disposal technologies currently employed or under development in countries that need them for the treatment and destruction of inventories of non-stockpile materiel. The committee was to compare those international technologies with the technologies used in the current U.S. non-stockpile chemical weapon recovery and destruction program (which are described in Chapter 1). In early committee meetings, the U.S. Army’s non-stockpile staff also asked the committee to report on any promising international technologies for assessment of chemical weapon burial sites and the assessment of recovered chemical munitions. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available online in open book format.

Review of the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Infrastructure and Aerospace Engineering Disciplines to Meet the Needs of the Air Force and the Department of Defense

This book was published in 2001 by the Committee on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Infrastructure and Aerospace Engineering Disciplines to Meet the Needs of the Air Force and the Department of Defense, Air Force Science and Technology Board, National Research Council. The report presents the results of a study into the prospects of the Air Force maintaining its leadership in the U.S. aerospace industry. It is available in HTML format.

no title available

no description supplied

RMA Debate

Sponsored by the Project on Defense Alternatives, this site is a subject gateway to full text resources on the internet about the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA), information and asymmetric warfare. The site is divided into subjects relating to RMA, U.S. defence transformation, terrorism, information warfare, strategic information warfare, asymmetric warfare and future war. The site links to full-text online books, provides contact details for specialists in this area, links to research sites and provides a bibliography.

Russia's Chechen Wars 1994-2000: Lessons from Urban Combat

This website provides access to the full text of a book written by Olga Oliker which was published by RAND in 2001. It examines the Chechnya conflict in the period 1994-2000, focusing specifically on the region of Grozny. The book makes particular reference to examining the difficulties the Russian military faced in planning and carrying out urban missions during the war. Users will need adobe acrobat reader to view the full text.

Russian Foreign Policy : Sources and Implications

This gives access to a Rand Organization publicaion written by Olga Oliker ...[et al] dated 2009. As Russia's economy has grown, so have the country's global involvement and influence, which often take forms that the United States neither expects nor likes, as the August 2008 conflict in Georgia demonstrated. Despite the two countries' many disagreements and the rising tension between them, the United States and Russia share some key interests and goals. In this monograph, the authors assess Russia's strategic interests and the factors that influence Russian foreign policy broadly. They examine Russia's domestic policies, economic development, and views of the world, as well as how these translate into security policies at home and abroad. They then consider the implications of Russia's evolving approaches for U.S. interests. The authors find that Russia's rising confidence will continue to create challenges for U.S. policymakers. The U.S. goal must therefore be to improve relations with Russia and build on shared views and shared interests, rather than to pursue coercive mechanisms that can easily backfire. Among other steps, the authors recommend that Washington vigorously pursue new arms control agreements with Moscow allay Russian fears about proposed U.S. missile defenses in Europe reevaluate its promotion of energy pipeline routes that circumvent Russia resume consistent, high-level consultations, including military-to-military contacts. If Russo-U.S. relations do not improve, the United States must find ways to keep poor relations with Russia from turning into adversarial ones. The Department of Defense and U.S. Air Force have important roles to play in either scenario. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Science in NASA's Vision for Space Exploration

This is a full text book from the National Academies Press and produced by the Committee on the Scientific Context for Space Exploration, National Research Council in 1995. In January 2004, President Bush announced a new space policy directed at human and robotic exploration of space. The National Academies released a report at the same time that independently addressed many of the issues contained in the new policy.

In June, the President's Commission on Implementation of United States Space Exploration Policy issued a report recommending that NASA ask the National Research Council (NRC) to reevaluate space science priorities to take advantage of the exploration vision. Congress also directed the NRC to conduct a thorough review of the science NASA is proposing to undertake within the initiative. This report provides an initial response to those requests.

It presents guiding principles for selecting science missions that enhance and support the exploration program. The report also presents findings and recommendations to help guide NASA's space exploration strategic planning activity. Separate NRC reviews will be carried out of strategic roadmaps that NASA is developing to implement the policy. The book is available in full text in Open Book format.

Scientific Context for Exploration of the Moon : Final Report

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on the Scientific Context for Exploration of the Moon, National Research Council and dated 2007. Because of the Moon s unique place in the evolution of rocky worlds, it is a prime focus of NASA s space exploration vision. Currently NASA is defining and implementing a series of robotic orbital and landed missions to the Moon as the initial phase of this vision. To realize the benefits of this activity, NASA needs a comprehensive, well-validated, and prioritized set of scientific research objectives. To help establish those objectives, NASA asked the NRC to provide guidance on the scientific challenges and opportunities enabled by sustained robotic and human exploration of the Moon during the period 2008-2023 and beyond. This final report presents a review of the current understanding of the early earth and moon; the identification of key science concepts and goals for moon exploration; an assessment of implementation options; and a set of prioritized lunar science concepts, goals, and recommendations. An interim report was released in September 2006. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Scientific Context for Exploration of the Moon : Interim Report

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press and published in 2006. Because of the Moon's unique place in the evolution of rocky worlds, it is a prime focus of NASA's space exploration vision. Currently NASA is defining and implementing a series of robotic orbital and landed missions to the Moon as the initial phase of this vision. To realize the benefits of this activity, NASA needs a comprehensive, well-validated, and prioritized set of scientific research objectives. To help establish those objective, NASA asked the NRC to provide guidance on the scientific challenges and opportunities enabled by sustained robotic and human exploration of the Moon during the period 2008-2013+. This interim report, which focuses on science of the Moon, presents a number of scientific themes describing broad scientific goals important for lunar research, discussions of how best to reach these goals, a set of three priority areas that follow from the themes, and recommendations for these priorities and related areas. A final report will follow in the summer of 2007. [Taken from abstract]. The full text of the report can be read online in open book format from the website of the National Academies Press.

Seaplane Skiplane and Float / Ski Equipped Helicopter Operations Handbook

Published by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Airman Testing Standards Branch in 2004, this operational handbook introduces the basic skills necessary for piloting seaplanes, skiplanes, and helicopters equipped with floats or skis. is primarily intended to assist pilots who already hold private or commercial certificates and who are learning to fly seaplanes, skiplanes, or helicopters equipped for water or ski operations. It is also beneficial to rated seaplane pilots who wish to improve their proficiency, pilots preparing for flights using ski equipped aircraft, and flight instructors engaged in the instruction of both student and transitioning pilots. It introduces the future seaplane or skiplane pilot to the realm of water operations and cold weather operations, and provides information on the performance of procedures required for the addition of a sea class rating in airplanes. Information on general piloting skills, aeronautical knowledge, or flying techniques not directly related to water or cold weather operations are beyond the scope of this book, but are available in other Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) publications. In this electronic format the several chapters are grouped together in PDF format files; the cover, preface, table of contents, glossary and index are also included.

Security in Iraq : Framework for Analyzing Emerging Threats as U.S. Forces Leave

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by David Gompert, Terrence Kelly, Jessica Watkins and dated 2010. U.S. withdrawal from Iraq could affect Iraq's internal security and stability, which could in turn affect U.S. strategic interests and the safety of U.S. troops and civilians in Iraq. U.S. policy-makers need a dynamic analytic framework with which to examine the shifting motivations and capabilities of the actors that affect Iraq's security. The framework recognizes dangers from extremists, mainstream political actors, and the politicization of the security forces. It asserts that security in Iraq depends on the major political actors using the political process instead of violence to achieve their goals, and professional, apolitical security forces. Extremist violence, while inevitable, cannot by itself threaten the state. To help achieve U.S. goals in Iraq, long-term U.S.-Iraq military cooperation should have three missions: building security force capability, enhancing its professional character, and building confidence between Iraqi state and Kurdish regional forces. Fulfilling these three missions will require well-prepared and well-placed, relatively senior professionals at every level; development of long-term relationships with Iraqi counterparts; and, possibly, a newly agreed mandate. With such efforts, the United States should be able to contribute to continued strengthening of the internal security and stability of Iraq even as it withdraws its forces. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

See How It Flies: A New Spin on the Perceptions, Procedures, and Principles of Flight

This resource is a full text electronic textbook, written by John S. Denker, a pilot. The book is intended to appeal to pilots and anyone else who is interested in how aeroplanes behave. The idea is to concentrate on ideas that are useful in the cockpit, and to explain them as clearly as possible. The main topics are perceptions, procedures and principles. The book is available in HTML format and is broken down into chapters and subsequently into headings to aid browsing.

Seven Perennial Challenges to Air Forces

This provides access ot a Royal Australian Air Force AirPower Development Centre publication written by Sanu Kainikara and dated November 2009. In contemporary conflict, air forces are being increasingly compelled to operate under constraints that impair their effectiveness, while at the same time having to confront asymmetric threats and diffused adversaries. The effective employment of air power is an intricate, complex and multi-faceted process that can be adversely affected by these constraints. This book identifies and explains seven perennial challenges that air forces face in the generation, sustainment and application of air power in the pursuit of national security. These constraints range from environmental factors, demographic changes, impact of the media and political imperatives, to the national ethos regarding attrition tolerance and the unacceptability of collateral damage. The topics covered are diverse and broad but impact critically on the optimum employment of air forces. This book is essential reading not only for air power professionals but also for those involved in enhancing national security through analysis and informed debate. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Shaping Tomorrow's Logistics : Issues and Analyses

This is a collection of 12 essays, articles, and studies, published by the US Air Force Logistics Management Agency (AFLMA), February 2002. The collection covers a wide range of topics including premium transportation, integrated action planning, process mapping, just-in-time logistics, wargames, and purchasing and supply management. The text can be viewed online or downloaded in PDF format.

Sharing Success - Owning Failure : Preparing to Command in the Twenty-First Century

A discussion about themes central to successful squadron command in the air force. The publication looks at military leadership and command of troops and the challenges they pose. It aims to provide an overview of the requirements of squadron command in the United States Air Force.

Shift or Rift : Assessing US - EU Relations After Iraq

This is the full text pdf version of a European Union Institute for Security Studies, EUISS, Transatlantic Book edited by Gustav Lindstrom and published in 2003. The book looks at United States and European international relations and foreign policy and looks at six topics from an American and European perspective. The topics covered are: US and EU visions of the world; the future of Europe; the future of the United States; US and EU priorities in the Middle East; the US and EU in the Balkans; and US and European perspectives on terrorism.

SIPRI Yearbook : Armaments, Disarmament and International Relations : Pocket Size Summary Edition

This site provides the full text of the summary editions of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, SIPRI, Yearbook in English, German, Spanish, French, Dutch and Swedish. First published in 1969, the Yearbooks are used as an authoritative source of information on what has happened during the past year in armaments and arms control, armed conflicts and conflict resolution, security arrangements and disarmament. It provides an overview developments in international security, weapons and technology, military expenditure, the arms trade and arms production, and armed conflicts, and efforts to control conventional, nuclear, chemical and biological armaments.

Small Business Innovation Research to Support Aging Aircraft : Priority Technical Areas and Process Improvements

This electronic book was published by the U.S Committee on Small Business Innovation Research to Support Aging Aircraft, National Materials Advisory Board, National Resarch Council in 2001. It reports the results of a study to determine how Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)programmes can be used more effectively to develop and implement technologies to improve the cost-effectiveness of maintenance and operation of aging aircraft. It is available in HTML and PDF format.

Small Ships in Theater Security Cooperation

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Robert W. Button ...[et al] and dated 2008. To accomplish missions related to the War on Terror, including missions to deny terrorists the use of the maritime environment and to empower partner nations to do the same, the U.S. Navy must engage in theater security cooperation (TSC) — the vehicle through which the United States extends influence, develops access, and promotes competence among potential coalition partners — with foreign militaries. The Navy asked the RAND Corporation to analyze necessary small vessel characteristics, focusing on TSC operations in sub-Saharan Africa. Using a strategies-to-tasks methodology, the authors develop concepts of operation for employing small ships in TSC, translate TSC tasks into required capabilities, and derive ship characteristics from these capabilities. After incorporating factors such as potential partner acquisition trends and operating conditions into their analysis, the authors describe three classes of vessels for consideration by the Navy. The authors also provide recommendations to increase the effectiveness of TSC operations conducted with a small vessel. These recommendations include giving greater thought to problems of gaining access for TSC, selecting crews with appropriate skills, and considering the foreign naval vessels with which the small vessel may interact. In an epilogue, the authors present the results of additional tasking from the Navy to apply RAND’s methodology to evaluate the 331-ton PC-1 Cyclone Class for use in TSC. The authors found that the PC-1 would be fully capable, given an appropriate support ship. This result was accepted for use by the Navy. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Social Science for Counterterrorism : Putting the Pieces Together

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication edited by Edited by Paul K. Davis, Kim Cragin, with contributors: Darcy Noricks, Todd C. Helmus, Christopher Paul, Claude Berrebi, Brian A. Jackson, Gaga Gvineria, Michael Egner, and Benjamin Bahney dated 2009. The authors report on an aggressively interdisciplinary project to survey and integrate the scholarly social-science literature relevant to counterterrorism. They draw on literature from numerous disciplines, both qualitative and quantitative, and then use high-level conceptual models to pull the pieces together. In their monograph, they identify points of agreement and disagreement and point out instances in which disagreements merely reflect difference of research context or perspective. Priorities for further research are suggested and improved ways to frame questions for research and analysis are identified. The questions addressed relate to how terrorism arises, why some individuals become terrorists, how terrorists generate public support, how terrorist organizations make decisions, how terrorism declines, why individuals disengage, and how strategic communications can be more or less effective. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Soldier Protective Clothing and Equipment : Feasibility of Chemical Testing Using a Fully Articulated Robotic Mannequin

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on Full-System Testing and Evaluation of Personal Protection Equipment Ensembles in Simulated Chemical-Warfare Environments, National Research Council and dated 2008. There is an ongoing need to test and ensure effectiveness of personal protective equipment that soldiers use to protect themselves against chemical warfare agents. However, testing using human subjects presents major challenges and current human-size thermal mannequins have limited testing capabilities. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) along with their counterparts from other countries are seeking to develop more human like mannequins, which would include features like human motion, in order to carry out more advanced chemical testing. At the request of DOD Product Director, Test Equipment, Strategy and Support, the National Research Council formed an ad hoc committee to evaluate the feasibility of developing an advanced humanoid robot, or Protection Ensemble Test Mannequin (PETMAN) system that meets the DOD requirements. The book concludes that although most of the individual requirements can technically be met, fulfilling all of the requirements is currently not possible. Based on this conclusion the committee recommends that DOD considers three issues, prioritization of current system requirements, use qualified contractor for particular technical aspects, incorporate complementary testing approaches to the PETMAN system. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Space Radiation Hazards and the Vision for Space Exploration : Report of a Workshop

This is the full text book made available by National Academies Press and published in 2006. Fulfilling the President's Vision for Space Exploration (VSE) will require overcoming many challenges. Among these are the hazards of space radiation to crews traveling to the Moon and Mars. [Taken from abstract]. The full text of the report can be read online in open book format from the web site of the National Academies Press.

Space Science and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations : Summary of a Workshop

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Margaret G. Finarelli, Rapporteur, Joseph K. Alexander, Rapporteur, National Research Council and dated 2008. ITAR, which controls defense trade, includes the U.S. Munitions List (USML) which specifies categories of defense articles and services covered by the regulations. In 1999, space satellites were added to the USML. In 2002 ITAR was amended to exclude U.S. universities from having to obtain ITAR licenses when performing fundamental research involving foreign countries and/or persons. Despite this provision, there remains considerable uncertainty among university researchers about whether the regulations apply to their research leading to a rather conservative interpretation of the regulations and the imposition of burdens that might not be necessary. To explore this concern, NASA asked the NRC to organize a workshop of all stakeholders on the implications of ITAR for space science. This book presents a summary of the workshop discussions including those on perspectives on recent developments and implementation of ITAR; overarching issues; problems arising from ITAR's implementation; and opportunities for near-term actions and improvements. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Space Studies Board Annual Report 2007

This is a full text report made available by National Academies Press prepared by the National Research Council and published 2008. The original charter of the Space Science Board was established in June 1958, three months before the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) opened its doors. The Space Science Board and its successor, the Space Studies Board (SSB), have provided expert external and independent scientific and programmatic advice to NASA on a continuous basis from NASA’s inception until the present. The Board has also provided such advice to other executive branch agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Department of Defense, as well as to Congress. {Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online.

Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentrations for Selected Airborne Contaminants : Volume 4

This site provides access to a report prepared by the National Research Council's Subcommittee on Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentrations, National Academy Press, 2000. This report is part of a series which seeks to establish safe exposure limits to spacecraft contaminants for up to 180 days (for normal space station operations) and for short-term (1-24 hr) emergency exposures to a high level of contaminants. Volume 4 includes 15 compounds, while Volume 1 covers 11 compounds, Volume 2, 12 compounds, and Volume 3, 12 compounds. A brief abstract is available in HTML format, and the full text can be accessed online in Open Book format.

no title available

no description supplied

Spacecraft Water Exposure Guidelines for Selected Contaminants : Volume 1

This is a full text book made vailable by National Academies Press written by Subcommittee on Spacecraft Exposure Guidelines, Committee on Toxicology, National Research Council dated 2004. To protect space crews from contaminants in potable and hygiene water, NASA requested that the National Research Council (NRC) provide guidance on how to develop water exposure guidelines and subsequently review NASA s development of exposure guidelines for specific chemicals. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Spacecraft Water Exposure Guidelines for Selected Contaminants : Volume 2

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on Spacecraft Exposure Guidelines, Committee on Toxicology, National Research Council and dated 2007. Construction of the International Space Station (ISS)—a multinational effort—began in 1999. In its present configuration, the ISS is expected to carry a crew of three to six astronauts for up to 180 days (d). Because the space station will be a closed and complex environment, some contamination of its internal atmosphere and water system is unavoidable. Several hundred chemical contaminants are likely to be found in the closed-loop atmosphere and recycled water of the space station. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

no title available

no description supplied

Spacecraft Water Exposure Guidelines for Selected Contaminants : Volume 3

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on Spacecraft Exposure Guidelines, Committee on Toxicology, National Research Council and dated 2008. NASA maintains an active interest in the environmental conditions associated with living and working in spacecraft and identifying hazards that might adversely affect the health and well-being of crew members. Despite major engineering advances in controlling the spacecraft environment, some water and air contamination is inevitable. Several hundred chemical species are likely to be found in the closed environment of the spacecraft, and as the frequency, complexity, and duration of human space flight increase, identifying and understanding significant health hazards will become more complicated and more critical for the success of the missions. To protect space crews from contaminants in potable and hygiene water, NASA requested that the National Research Council NRC provide guidance on how to develop water exposure guidelines and subsequently review NASA's development of the exposure guidelines for specific chemicals. This book presents spacecraft water exposure guidelines (SWEGs) for antimony, benzene, ethylene glycol, methanol, methyl ethyl ketone, and propylene glycol. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Staffing Standards for Aviation Safety Inspectors

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Safety Inspector Staffing Standards, William C. Howell and Susan B. Van Hemel, Editors, National Research Council and dated 2006. The Committee on FAA Aviation Safety Inspector Staffing Standards was consequently established at the National Research Council to examine the models and methods used to determine inspector staffing needs for these two FAA units. The objective of the study is to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the methods and models that the FAA now uses in developing staffing standards and projections of ASI staffing needs and to advise on potential areas for improvement. The term “staffing standards” is used in this report to denote the FAA’s concept of sheer numbers of personnel required to fill specified jobs, without regard for quality or skill levels. While the term is often used to refer to levels of qualifications or skills needed by individuals for particular jobs, it is not used in that way by the FAA. The FAA uses “staffing standards” to refer to the numbers of personnel of various job categories deemed appropriate to staff its facilities. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

State Capitalism and Working-Class Radicalism in the French Aircraft Industry

This provides access to a University of California E-book published in 1990 and written by Herrick Chapman. During the 1930s aircraft workers emerged from obscurity to become a vanguard of the French labor movement. Virtually unorganized in the early thirties, these workers suddenly occupied their factories in May 1936, launching what turned out to be the largest strike wave of the Third Republic. Communist militants soon became prominent in aircraft unions, and from 1937 through the late 1940s the aircraft industry remained one of the most hotly contested arenas of labor reform in France. Throughout this period the industry remained in the limelight as workers, employers, and government officials grappled with major issues—from nationalization, the forty-hour week, and shop floor control to the repercussions of the Marshall Plan. People who built airplanes, moreover, found themselves faced time and again in particularly poignant ways with questions that made these years painful for the French in every walk of life—how to revive a depressed economy, prepare for war, cope with an enemy occupation, and, eventually, rebuild a broken nation after years of corrosive internal conflict. For the aircraft industry, as for many other institutions in France, the era proved to be as pivotal historically as it was difficult for the French to live through. During nearly two decades of civic strife and international crisis the men and women who worked in the factories and design offices of the aircraft industry, who sat in corporate board rooms and in the bureaus of government ministries, fought over fundamental choices in industrial policy and thereby transformed the relationship between labor, business, and the state. In addition, what happened in aviation conformed to a pattern of institutional change in many other sectors of the French economy. This book explores this transformation by probing inside the workings of a single industry to examine what people experienced, what they hoped for, and why they responded as they did to the most turbulent period in the history of France since the revolutions of the previous century. The aircraft industry also provides a setting in which to investigate just why France emerged from the 1930s and 1940s with its peculiarly volatile style of industrial conflict. Since the end of the Second World War France has stood out, in comparison with most other Western nations, for the radicalism of its workers and the size and frequency of its industrial strikes. In no other advanced capitalist society have workers so consistently questioned the legitimacy of capitalist enterprise. For thirty years the major trends in the postwar labor movement—the survival of the Communist-dominated Confédération Générale du Travail (CGT) as the largest labor confederation in France, the weakness of its anti-Communist counterpart, Force Ouvrière, and the evolution of the Catholic Confédération Française des Travailleurs Chrétiens (CFTC) into the radical Confédération Française Démocratique du Travail (CFDT)—all suggest that workers continued to take class antagonisms and left-wing principles seriously in postwar France. Surveys even as recently as the 1970s suggest that workers in France, especially in comparison to their counterparts in Britain, have been more likely, as Duncan Gallie has argued, "to see the resolution of their work grievances as dependent upon the outcome of wider social conflicts." Likewise, French employers have been slower than their counterparts abroad to accommodate unions. The so-called corporatist arrangements that enabled trade unions and business organizations to negotiate wide-ranging agreements on a regular basis in much of the rest of Europe failed to emerge in postwar France.Not that France failed to stabilize after the Second World War in its own way. Despite the traumas of colonial war, the collapse of the Fourth Republic, and the rebellions of 1968, postwar France never encountered a revolutionary crisis nor faltered (at least until the 1970s) in maintaining a remarkable pace of economic growth. And indeed, since the late 1970s industrial conflict has diminished to a degree, especially as the CGT and the Communist Party have declined and as the labor movement generally, in France as elsewhere, has fallen on hard times. Still, for more than three decades following the war France displayed a peculiar blend of social conflict and institutional stability—a capacity both to meet the industrial challenges of the postwar era and to sustain a radical politics. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available from the website of UC Press E-Books Collection, 1982-2004.

Stepping-Stones to the Future of Space Exploration : A Workshop Report

NASA's Human Exploration and Development of Space (HEDS) program within the Office of Space Flight has proposed a new framework for space technology and systems development Advanced Systems, Technology, Research, and Analysis (ASTRA) for future space flight capabilities. To assist in the development of this framework, NASA asked the National Research Council to convene a series of workshops on technology policy issues concerning the relationship of the various stakeholders in advancing human and robotic exploration and development of space. The first workshop, which is the topic of this report, focused on policy issues about the development and demonstration of space technologies. Four policy topics selected by the project steering committee as the foci of this first workshop are discussed in the report: the rationale for human and robotic space exploration; technology as a driver for capability transformation; risk mitigation and perception; and international cooperation and competition.

Strategic Approach to Joint Officer Management : Analysis and Modeling Results

This gives access to a Rand Corporation publication written by Margaret Harrell ...[et al] and dated 2009. In 2003, the Department of Defense (DoD) asked the RAND National Defense Research Institute to undertake an analysis that would provide overarching guidance on officer education and development in joint matters. As part of that effort, the authors of this volume use complex modeling and analysis of data from the 2005 Joint Officer Management Census survey to identify billets that provide and/or require experience in joint matters and therefore might be recommended for inclusion on the Joint Duty Assignment List. They also examine whether there are sufficient numbers of officers with joint experience to meet DoD needs. Many of the recommendations in this document have been incorporated into the new joint officer qualification system implemented in October 2007. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Strategy for an Army Center for Network Science, Technology, and Experimentation

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on Strategies for Network Science, Technology, and Experimentation, National Research Council and dated 2007. The U.S. military and its allies have committed to a strategy of network-centric warfare (NCW) with ever-increasing levels of investment in and dependence on networked systems. As a result, the Army has become increasingly aware of the critical role that network science will play in achieving national defense goals. This report discusses a strategy for an Army center for conducting network science, technology, and experimentation supportive of all of the military services and joint operations. The report examines, evaluates, and recommends appropriate operating models and infrastructure for an Army network science, technology, and experimentation center (NSTEC). [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Summary of a Workshop on the Technology, Policy and Cultural Dimensions of Biometric Systems

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press and published in 2006. Biometrics the use of physiological and behavioral characteristics for identification purposes has been promoted as a way to enhance security and identification efficiency. There are questions, however, about, among other issues, the effectiveness of biometric security measures, usability, and the social impacts of biometric technologies. To address these and other important questions, the NRC was asked by DARPA, the DHS, and the CIA to undertake a comprehensive assessment of biometrics that examines current capabilities, future possibilities, and the role of the government in their developments. As a first step, a workshop was held at which a variety of views about biometric technologies and systems were presented. This report presents a summary of the workshop s five panels: scientific and technical challenges; measurement, statistics, testing, and evaluation; legislative, policy, human, and cultural factors; scenarios and applications; and technical and policy aspects of information sharing. The results of this workshop coupled with other information will form the basis of the study s final report. [Taken from abstract]. The full text of the report can be read in open book format from the website of the National Academies Press.

Sustaining Key Skills in the UK Naval Industry

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Hans Pung ...[et al] dated 2008. To preserve its ability to design, build, and support complex warships and submarines, the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) will need to preserve and sustain several key technical skills in the maritime domain, particularly those of designers and engineers at various stages of surface ship and submarine acquisition and support. Its current naval acquisition programme, comprising several classes of vessels (such as the Astute-class attack submarine and the Future Aircraft Carrier), has brought forward questions regarding the MOD's ability to design, build, and support the intended fleet size. Building on prior RAND research, this monograph explores in greater detail the need for and retention of specific technical skills in the UK's naval industrial base. It investigates the relationship between the demand created by the MOD's surface ship and submarine acquisition programme and the technical workforce needed to design, build, and support those war vessels. The results reveal that, although the MOD has taken into account the need for these skills, its future naval programme likely will have to be modified or augmented to sustain these technical skills in the long term. In particular, the MOD needs to nurture design and engineering skills to bridge current and future gaps as its naval acquisition programme moves forward. [aken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Sustaining U.S. Nuclear Submarine Design Capabilities

This technical report (MG-608-NAVY) was published by The RAND Corporation in 2007 and was written by John F. Schank, Mark V. Arena, Paul DeLuca, Jessie Riposo, Kimberly Curry, Todd Weeks and James Chiesa. For the first time since the design of the first nuclear submarine, the U.S. Navy has no nuclear submarine design program under way, which raises the possibility that design capability could be lost. Such a loss could result in higher costs and delays when the next submarine design is undertaken, as well as risks to system performance and safety. The authors estimate and compare the costs and delays of letting design capability erode vs. those of alternative means of managing the workload and workforce over the gap in design demand and beyond. The authors recommend that the Navy consider stretching out the design of the next submarine class and starting it early, or, if that seems too risky, sustaining design resources at the shipyards, their vendors, and in the Navy itself that exceed those supported by the demand. [Taken from abstract]. This is a PDF file, so Adobe Acrobat software will be required in order to read it.

Taking Flight: Education and Training for Aviation Careers

This is the full text of a book published by the National Academy Press. It is edited by Janet S. Hansen and Clinton V. Oster of the Committee on Education and Training for Civilian Aviation Careers, part of the National Research Council. It is possible to search the text of the book or alternatively view a listing of chapters and select which one to view.

Taming the Next Set of Strategic Weapons Threats

This web site provides access to a United States Strategic Studies Institute publication edited by Henry D. Sokolski dated July 2006. Missile defense and unmanned air vehicle related technologies, are proliferating for a variety of perfectly defensive and peaceful civilian applications. This same know-how can be used to defeat U.S. and allied air and missile defenses in new ways that are far more stressful than the existing set of ballistic missile threats. Unfortunately, the Missile Technology Control Regime is not yet optimized to cope with these challenges. Nuclear technologies have become much more difficult to control since new centrifuge uranium enrichment facilities and relatively small fuel reprocessing plants can now be built and hidden much more readily than nuclear fuel-making plants that were operating when the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and the bulk of International Atomic Energy Agency inspections procedures were first devised 30 or more years ago. This volume is designed to highlight what might happen if these emerging threats go unattended and how best to mitigate them. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software will be required in order to read it.

Terrorism : Perspectives from the Behavioral and Social Sciences

This provides access to a National Academies Press publication dated 2002. The events and aftermath of September 11, 2001, profoundly changed the course of history of the nation.They also brought the phenomenon known as terrorism to the forefront of the nation’s consciousness. As it became thus focused, the limits of scientific understanding of terrorism and the capacity to develop policies to deal with it became even more evident. The objective of this report is to bring behavioral and social science perspectives to bear on the nature, determinants, and domestic responses to contemporary terrorism as a way of making theoretical and practical knowledge more adequate to the task. It also identifies areas of research priorities for the behavioral and social sciences. [Taken from abstract]. The full text can be read online in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Testing of Defense Systems in an Evolutionary Acquisition Environment

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press and published in 2006. Evolutionary acquisition is a Department of Defense (DoD) process for defense system development in which a system is developed in stages as part of a single acquisition program. The different stages can be additional hardware and software capabilities or performance gains due to advances in technological maturity and reliability growth. DoD has presented evolutionary acquisition as the preferred option for development of key complex defense systems, a leading example being the Army’s Future Combat System. While it is quite common to modify a defense system after fielding, the intention in evolutionary acquisition is that these improvements are planned for and accommodated by the choice of system architectures and overall system design, to the extent possible. A further underlying motivation is that some costs and development delays (e.g., due to redesign and retrofitting) that might arise from a single-stage development process could be reduced by (a) giving greater priority to the identification of failure modes early in system development, (b) introducing new technologies only when they are mature, and (c) limiting the introduction of too many new components or subsystems simultaneously. It is argued that this process will shorten the overall system development time, allow rapid insertion of new capability-enhancing technologies, and reduce life-cycle costs. In evolutionary acquisition, system capabilities are developed and acquired in stages. Hence there is a need for careful reexamination of current testing and evaluation policies and processes, which were designed for single-stage developments. At the request of DoD, a committee of the National Academies planned and conducted a workshop to discuss the role of testing and evaluation in an evolutionary acquisition environment and to make appropriate conclusions and recommendations. The specific questions addressed include: What are the appropriate roles and objectives for testing in an evolutionary environment? Can a systematic, disciplined process be developed for testing and evaluation in such a fluid and flexible environment? How can information from the earlier stages of the evolutionary acquisition process be used effectively in developing test designs for subsequent stages? Are there methodologies, either in the academic literature (statistics, operations research, management science, etc.) or best practices in industry that can be adapted for use in the evolutionary acquisition environment in DoD? Are there advantages to data archiving and documenting results from past stages of development? Is there adequate technical expertise within the acquisition community to fully exploit data gathered from previous stages and to effectively combine information from various sources for test design and analysis? While discussing these questions, it became apparent that there are several broader, contextual issues that must also be addressed if the recommendations on test design are to be effective. Among these issues, the following were considered in the report: Is the meaning and intent of evolutionary acquisition sufficiently clear in DoD, or is there a need for clarity and consistency in the terminology and a need for enforcement of policies and procedures? Can the culture and organization of defense test and acquisition fully support the effective implementation of evolutionary acquisition? If not, what changes are needed in the DoD environment, the acquisition process, and incentives to ensure that the full benefits of testing in the evolutionary environment can be realized? Is the current level of cooperation among the program manager, contractors, and the developmental and operational testing communities adequate for supporting evolutionary acquisition? While these broader issues are somewhat beyond the study’s original scope, the committee concluded that they must be discussed, even if only briefly. The committee draws some conclusions and makes some recommendations on these broader issues. However, the committee could not recommend how to address these problems fully due to the limited scope of this study. [Taken from abstract]. The full text of the report can be read in open book format from the website of the National Academies Press.

Tethers in Space Handbook

This provides access to the third edition of the handbook, edited by M.L. Cosmo and E.C. Lorenzini, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, for NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, December 1997. This version of the text is available for downloading in PDF format, and is hosted by Tethers Unlimited, Inc (TUI).

The Aeroplane Speaks

This provides access to a book written by H. Barber. This is a Project Gutenberg Release 818# dated July 2008. It is available for on-screen browsing in text format and, as a downloadable zip file, from a number of specified servers.

The Air Campaign : John Warden and the Classical Airpower Theorists

This provides access to a United States Air Force, Air University Press publication written by David R. Mets and dated 1999. In light of the age-old belief of Confucius that no idea is new, Dr. Mets examines the role of Col Warden in the Gulf War to determine if a revolution in military affairs had occurred. He relies on several twentieth-century antecedents to Warden, including Giulio Douhet, Hugh Trenchard, and Billy Mitchell to distill a pattern. Mets also addresses whether "the argument that antedated the Gulf War to the effect that such conflicts between states using conventional weapons and methods are a pressing phenomenon." The concluding chapter provides an overview of Mets's discussion. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

The Air Force Role in Developing International Outer Space Law

This provides access to a United States Air Force, Air University Press publication written by Delbert R. Terrill and dated 1999. Colonel Terrill provides an in-depth examination of the historical evolution of Air Force thinking and action on the development of international law as it applies to outer space. He traces the Air Force's continual resistance to treaties and other conventions that would have defined the demarcation of the "boundary" between airspace and outer space. He shows that the Air Force position was grounded in the unwillingness to define outer space narrowly before the military had thoroughly researched and tested technological capabilities that could be employed in space. Terrill concludes by raising concerns about current issues that come into play on efforts to refine international law as it relates to outer space. These issues include technological advances and possible future international cooperation in space ventures. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe #Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

The Anthrax Letters : A Medical Detective Story

This site provides access to the full text of the book written by Leonard A. Cole and published by Joseph Henry Press (an imprint of the National Academies Press) in 2003. The book is a narrative of the anthrax letter bioterrorism attacks in the United States of America in 2001. It is based on interviews with surviving inhalation-anthrax victims, and the scientists, researchers and doctors who were the first responders to the attacks.

The Big Issue : Command and Combat in the Information Age

This is the full text pdf version of the book edited by David Potts, originally published as SCSI (Strategic and Combat Studies Institute) Occasional Paper Number 45 in March 2002, it was reprinted by the Department of Defense Command and Control Research Program in February 2003. The book is part of the Information Age Transformation Series and brings together essays from the British Army's Directorate General Development and Doctrine on the impact technology and the information age will have on the UK armed forces. The first part of the book looks at philosophy and considers the revolution in military affairs and command in the information age. Part two looks at the possibilities and challenges and discusses the commander-centric approach, interoperability and the case for manned reconnaissance. The final and third part considers the prognosis for the future; tactical combat with C4ISTAR, asymmetric warfare, and the possible future face of warfare.

The Defense Acquisition Workforce : Analysis of Personnel Trends Relevant to Policy, 1993-2006

This provides access to a Rand Organization Technical Report written by Susan Gates ...[et al] and dated 2008. The defense acquisition workforce includes more than 130,000 military and civilian personnel responsible for providing a wide range of acquisition, technology, and logistics support to the nation's warfighters. This report summarizes workforce analyses that RAND has undertaken in support of the Defense Acquisition University, which is responsible for strategic human capital management of that workforce. It covers the civilian acquisition workforce, the careers of acquisition workforce senior executive service members, and the military acquisition workforce and its implications for the larger workforce. It also describes an inventory projection model that uses data on the civilian acquisition workforce as a key input. The authors conclude that better definition and tracking of the acquisition workforce would improve workforce planning and that workforce analysis is only one step in an overall strategic human capital planning effort. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

The Evolving Terrorist Threat to Southeast Asia : Net Assessment

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Peter Chalk, Angel Rabasa, William Rosenau, Leanne Piggott dated 2009. Terrorism is not new to Southeast Asia. For much of the Cold War, the activities of a variety of domestic ethnonationalist and religious militant groups posed a significant challenge to the region's internal stability. Since the 1990s, however, the residual challenge posed by substate militant extremism has risen in reaction to both the force of modernization pursued by many Southeast Asian governments and the political influence of radical Islam. Building on prior RAND research analyzing the underlying motives, drivers, and capabilities of the principal extremist groups that have resorted to terrorist violence in the Philippines, southern Thailand, and Indonesia, this study examined the historical roots of militancy in these countries to provide context for assessing the degree to which local agendas are either being subsumed within a broader ideological framework or shaped by other extremist movements. Moving beyond simple terrorism analysis, this research also examined national and international government responses to militant movements in the region, including counterterrorist initiatives, military and policing strategies, hearts-and-minds campaigns, and funding and support from international organizations and governments (including the United States). Finally, the study broke new ground in assessing Cambodia as a potential future terrorist operational and logistical hub in Southeast Asia. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

The Gathering Biological Warfare Storm

This site provides access to the full text book edited by Colonel (Dr.) Jim A. Davis and Dr. Barry R. Schneider, published by the United States Air Force Counterproliferation Center (USAF CPC) in April 2002. The chapters look at whether the United States is prepared for a biological warfare attack; public health response to bioterrorism; the threat from anthrax and smallpox; the biocruise threat; and next generation biological weapons.

The Homeland Security Papers : Stemming the Tide of Terror

This site provides access to the full text book edited by Michael W. Ritz, Ralph G. Hensley Jr., and James C. Whitmire, published by the United States Air Force Counterproliferation Center (USAF CPC) in February 2004. The book looks at homeland security strategies that could be introduced in the United States to protect against and prevent terrorist attacks. The chapters look at the USA Patriot Act; the narco terrorist threat from the Columbian war; sea port and maritime protection; computer network defence; the effectiveness of first responders and defence cooperation between the United States and Canada.

The Human Exploration of Space

This is a full text book available from National Academies Press and was produced by Committee on Human Exploration, National Research Council in the year 1997. The Space Studies Board (SSB) constituted the Committee on Human Exploration (CHEX) in 1989 to examine the general question of the space science component of a future human exploration program. Earlier two reports were produced addressing issues like the the need for scientific knowledge to enable prolonged human space missions and scientific opportunities that might be derived from prolonged human space missions. During the development of these first two reports, it became evident to the committee that the mode of interaction between space science and human exploration has varied over the years, as evidenced by a succession of different NASA organizational structures. The committee reviewed the history of this interaction with the objective of developing a 'lessons-learned' set of principles and recommendations for the future. The principles and recommendations thus evolved for managing the science component of a Moon/Mars program, whenever and however it is pursued, transcend political and administrative changes. While this report is not intended to dictate precise organizational models, application of these principles and recommendations should facilitate a productive integration of science into a program of human exploration.

The Iran Primer

“The Iran Primer” brings together 50 top experts—both Western and Iranian—to offer comprehensive but concise overviews of Iran’s politics, economy, military, foreign policy, and nuclear program. Each link on this site connects to a complete chapter on one of 62 subjects in 10 categories. Printable PDF attachments also are at the bottom of each chapter.The book chronicles U.S.-Iran relations under six U.S. presidents. It probes five policy options. And it offers a data base of chronologies, nuclear sites, sanctions resolutions and other information. Since Iran's 1979 revolution, the West has struggled to understand the Islamic Republic and how to deal with it. The challenge looms even larger in the face of Iran’s controversial nuclear program, disputed 2009 election, growing human rights violations, and angry rhetoric. “The Iran Primer” offers context and analysis for what lies ahead. [Originator's description]

The National Security Archive, George Washington University

This is a research institute in international affairs, a library and archive of declassified US documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act(FOIA) and an indexer and publisher. It is privately funded by publishing revenues and donations. There is a guide for researchers who either want to use the site or the archive itself, and information about publications and documents held in the archive. Current research projects are listed and include China, India-Pakistan, Iran, and Openness in Russia and Eastern Europe.

The Operational Code of the Politburo

This book (CB-104-1) was published by The RAND Corporation in 2007 and was written by Nathan Constantin Leites. Theoretical frameworks that examine a political actor’s personal characteristics and how they affect the foreign policies of their respective states are useful tools for analysts, researchers, and historians. One of the most widely used frameworks has been operational code analysis, introduced by Nathan Leites in this seminal RAND Corporation volume, The Operational Code of the Politburo. Originally published by McGraw-Hill in 1951, it was the inaugural publication in what was then called "The RAND Series" and later became known as RAND’s commercial books series, a collection of monographs which aimed to make RAND’s groundbreaking research available to the public. In that spirit, and to celebrate RAND’s 60th Anniversary, RAND is proud to bring this classic work back into print in paperback and digital formats. The Operational Code of the Politburo was part of a major effort at RAND to provide insight into the political leadership and foreign policy in the Soviet Union and other communist states; the development of Soviet military strategy and doctrine; and the organization and operation of the Soviet economy. This immense body of research has had an influence and impact beyond U.S. national security, as the techniques and methodological tools have been refined and extended to new analytic challenges. [Taken from abstract]. This is a PDF file, so Adobe Acrobat software will be required in order to read it.

The Problem of Space Travel : the Rocket Motor

Hermann Noordung's Das Problem der Befahrung des Weltraums, published here in an English translation, was one of the classic writings about spaceflight. This electronic text of The Problem of Space Travel is a rough version that omits numerous illustrations and other items that are included in the published volume. The text for the figures is included in this electronic version so that readers can see where illustrations are supposed to be inserted. The NASA History Series - NASA SP-4026, published 1995 (HTML revised 1996).

The Rise of Games and High Performance Computing for Modeling and Simulation

This provides access to a U.S. National Academies publication dated 2009. The technical and cultural boundaries between modeling, simulation, and games are increasingly blurring, providing broader access to capabilities in modeling and simulation and further credibility to game-based applications. The purpose of this study is to provide a technical assessment of Modeling, Simulation, and Games (MS&G) research and development worldwide and to identify future applications of this technology and its potential impacts on government and society. Further, this study identifies feasible applications of gaming and simulation for military systems; associated vulnerabilities of, risks to, and impacts on critical defense capabilities; and other significant indicators and warnings that can help prevent or mitigate surprises related to technology applications by those with hostile intent. Finally, this book recommends priorities for future action by appropriate departments of the intelligence community, the Department of Defense research community, and other government entities. The Rise of Games and High Performance Computing for Modeling and Simulation will serve as a useful tutorial and reference document for this particular era in the evolution of MS&G. The book also highlights a number of rising capabilities facilitated by MS&G to watch for in the coming years. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required.

The Role of Naval Forces in the Global War on Terror : Abbreviated Version

This is a full text book made available by National Acadmies Press written by Committee on the Role of Naval Forces in the Global War on Terror, National Research Council and dated 2007. The growth of the terrorism threat to the nation s security has created significant strategic challenges for U.S. armed forces in fighting this global war on terrorism (GWOT). For the Navy, the challenges have centered on developing maritime capabilities to prosecute the GWOT as far forward as possible. To assist the Navy s planning in this area, the former Chief of Naval Operations requested the NRC to conduct an assessment of the adequacy of and prospects for improving the role of Naval Forces in the GWOT. The study developed a defense-in-depth framework as the organizing principle for the report. The report contains information as described in 5 U.S.C. 552(b) and therefore could not be released to the public in its entirety. The public version consists of an executive summary that presents an assessment of the transformation of naval forces for addressing the GWOT; a brief description of the defense-in-depth framework; and a list of findings and major recommendations. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

The Russian Revolution

This is the full text of a book written by Rosa Luxemburg. The book was first published in 1922. There are six chapters: Fundamental significance of the Russian Revolution, the Bolsheivik land policy, the nationalities question, the Constituent assembly, the quesion of suffrage, the problem of dictatorship, the struggle against corruption and democracy and dictatorship.

The War Next Time : Countering Rogue States and Terrorists Armed with Chemical and Biological Weapons

This site provides access to the full text book edited by Dr Barry R. Schneider and Colonel (Dr.) Jim A. Davis, published by the United States Air Force Counterproliferation Center (USAF CPC) in April 2004. The book presents the hypothesis that United States future conflicts are likely to be unconventional wars, which may take the form of chemical or biological warfare or terrorism. The chapters look at asymmetrical rivals and threats; South Africa's chemical and biological weapons programme; US policy for retaliating to chem/bio attacks; methods to identify covert biological weapons programmes; the biocruise threat; and economic, social and psychological implications of a bioterrorism attack.

Thunder and Lightning : Desert Storm and the Airpower Debates

Using Operation Desert Storm and the Gulf War as an example, Colonel Mann offers a critical analysis of air and space warfare. He examines airpower debates before and after the Gulf War contrasting the debates of the 1970's - 1990's with those in the 1920's - 1940's.

Titanium :Industrial Base, Price Trends, and Technology Initiatives

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Somi Seong ...[et al] dated 2009. Titanium accounts for a significant portion of the structural weight of many aircraft. Its high strength-to-weight ratio, high strength at high temperatures, corrosion resistance, and thermal stability make it ideal for airframe structures. However, in recent years a combination of multiple factors has caused a major spike in titanium prices that is expected to significantly influence the acquisition costs of future aircraft. This monograph examines the titanium industrial base, titanium production technology, and the factors underlying price fluctuations in the titanium market to assess their implications for the production cost of future airframes. The authors also suggest how the Department of Defense might mitigate the economic risks involved in the titanium market and reduce the cost of raw materials used in military airframes. In contrast with existing studies, which mainly focus on aircraft demand cycles in analyzing titanium price fluctuations, the monograph highlights the role of supply-side drivers, China's impact on the titanium market through cross-market substitution effect, the significance of industrial demand, and the increase in spot market transactions. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is avaialble in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Today's Logistics : Selected Readings and Analysis

This is a collection of essays, articles, and studies, published by the US Air Force Logistics Management Agency (AFLMA), May 2001. The majority of the writings deal with improving specific facets of Air Force logistics, supply, transportation, maintenance, contracting, and prepositioning. However, other works have been included that focus on logistics thought, theory, crime, and history. Much of the material is based on work performed by the staff at the Air Force Logistics Management Agency. The text can be viewed online or downloaded in PDF format.

Transforming for Stabilization and Reconstruction Operations

This site provides access to the full text pdf version of the book published by the Center for Technology and National Security Policy, National Defence University, in 2004 and edited by Hans Binnendijk and Stuart Johnson. The book looks at stabilisation and reconstruction capabilities needed by the United States military in order for it to secure stability and begin the reconstruction process rapidly following combat operations. Chapters look at lessons to be learned from history, including more recent operations in Afghanistan and Iraq; and what is needed to transform S&R operations, including military strategy, force sizing, organisation, personnel, military culture, and technology.

Trends and Challenges in Aerospace Offsets

This contains the proceedings of a "Symposium on trends and challenges in aerospace offsets", organised by the National Academy of Sciences, in January 1998. Contents include: Offsets in commercial and military aerospace, the policy context for military aerospace offsets, the effects of outsourcing and foreign competition on output and employment, the international marketplace, emerging challenges, and the role of the US Government. The symposium was published by National Academy Press in 1999.

Troubled Partnership : U.S.-Turkish Relations in an Era of Global Geopolitical Change

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Stephen Larrabee and dated 2010. A strong security partnership with Turkey has been an important element of U.S. policy for the last five decades. However, in the last few years, U.S.-Turkish relations have seriously deteriorated, and today they are badly in need of repair. The arrival of a new administration in Washington presents an important opportunity to put Washington's relations with Ankara on a firmer footing. Turkey plays a critical role in four areas of increasing strategic importance to the United States: the Balkans, Central Asia and the Caucasus, the Middle East, and the Persian Gulf. In each of these areas, Ankara's cooperation is vital to achieving U.S. policy objectives. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Turkey as a U.S. Security Partner

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by Stephen Larabee and dated 2008. Turkey has long been an important U.S. ally, but especially with the end of the Cold War, the relationship has been changing. Divergences between U.S. and Turkish interests have grown, in part because of Turkey’s relationships with its neighbors and the tension between its Western identity and its Middle Eastern orientation. Further, relations with the European Union have also deteriorated of late. As a result, Ankara has come to feel that it can no longer rely on its traditional allies, and Turkey is likely to be a more difficult and less predictable partner in the future. While Turkey will continue to want good ties to the United States, it is likely to be drawn more heavily into the Middle East by the Kurdish issue and Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Consequently, the tension between Turkey’s Western identity and Middle Eastern orientation is likely to grow even more. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

U.S. and Iran : The Nuclear Dilemma : Next Steps

This is the full text pdf version of the monograph written by Geoffrey Kemp, published in April 2004. It discusses Iran's nuclear weapons programme and international relations with the United States. The chapters look at present and historical relations between America and Iran, Iran's changing security environment, the nuclear programme and Iran's need for nuclear weapons, the likely configuration of Iranian nuclear forces and whether they would be covert or overt, the impact an Iranian nuclear programme could have on the stability of the region, and the need for US and EU cooperation.

U.S. Military Operations in Iraq: Planning, Combat and Occupation

This web site provides access to a United States Strategic Studies Institute publication written by Kate Phillips, Shane Lauth, Erin Schenck and edited by W. Andrew Terrill dated April 2006. A colloquium on "U.S. Military Operations in Iraq: Planning, Combat, and Occupation" was held November 2, 2005, and was co-sponsored by SSI and Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Three years beyond the start of that transition, the debate continues about the adequacy of planning for and proficiency of execution of Phase IV operations in Iraq and elsewhere. The debate most often surrounds three issues concerning this final operational phase: the relationship to preceding operational phases; responsibility for planning; and responsibility for execution. Much of the debate to this point has been an unproductive effort to assign blame for shortcomings in the planning for and execution of stability and reconstruction operations; participants in the colloquium moved beyond finding fault, began analyzing the central issues, and addressed solutions [Taken froam abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software will be required in order to read it.

U.S.-Russian Collaboration in Combating Radiological Terrorism

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee on Opportunities for U.S.-Russian Collaboration in Combating Radiological Terrorism, Office for Central Europe and Eurasia, National Research Council and dated 2007. Packaging conventional explosives with radioactive material and detonating this radiological dispersal device (RDD) to kill and terrorize people—the “dirty bomb” scenario—is, unfortunately, readily within the means of some terrorist groups. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports that radioactive material needed to build an RDD can be found in almost any country in the world, and more than 100 countries may not have adequate control and monitoring programs to prevent or even detect the theft of these materials. The agency also reports numerous incidents of illicit trafficking in radioactive materials, including ionizing radiation sources (IRSs) used in medical, agricultural, and industrial applications. Potential links of such trafficking with international criminal organizations heighten the concern about these materials falling into the hands of terrorists, who could use them in RDDs or in other ways to threaten populations. These concerns are sufficiently serious that they have been a focus of several initiatives announced by the leaders of the G-8 governments at recent summit meetings. Given these developments, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) requested the National Research Council (NRC) to carry out an assessment of the threats posed by inadequately protected IRSs in Russia. The assessment was to lead to recommendations that could enhance the effectiveness of DOE’s current cooperative program with Russia to reduce the threat posed by inadequately secured IRSs in Russia. This program began in 2003 in recognition that, after the United States, Russia has the world’s largest inventory of IRSs and a number of aspects in the security. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

UK defence and security policy : a new approach

Upon entering office in May 2010 one of the first actions of the new Coalition Government was to establish a National Security Council and announce the conduct of a Strategic Defence and Security Review. That review was described as one of the Government’s top priorities alongside addressing the budget deficit. It would be published in tandem with a new National Security Strategy and would examine all aspects of security. Previous reviews had focused mainly on defence policy and the reconfiguration of the Armed Forces as a means of delivering the UK’s foreign policy objectives. Both the National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence and Security Review were published in October 2010, five months after the Government took office. This paper examines the main priorities and recommendations set out in each of those documents.[Originator's abstract]

Underkill : Scalable Capabilities for Military Operations amid Populations

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication written by David Gompert ...[et al] dated 2009. The battle for Gaza revealed an extremist strategy: hiding in cities and provoking attack to cause civilian deaths that can be blamed on the attacking forces. The U.S. and allied militaries, having no options but lethal force or no options at all, are ill-equipped to defeat this strategy. The use of lethal force in dense populations can harm and alienate the very people whose cooperation U.S. forces are trying to earn. To solve this problem, a new RAND study proposes a “continuum of force” — a suite of capabilities that includes sound, light, lasers, cell phones, and video cameras. In missions ranging from counterinsurgency to peacekeeping to humanitarian intervention to quelling disorder, the typical small unit of the U.S. military should and can have portable, easy-to-use, all-purpose capabilities to carry out its missions without killing or hurting civilians that may get in the way. The technologies for these capabilities are available but have not been recognized as a solution to this strategic problem and, consequently, need more high-level attention and funding. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is requred in order to read it.

Upgrading the Space Shuttle - report of the Committee on Shuttle Upgrades

This web site provides access to a report produced by the National Research Council's Committee on Space Shuttle Upgrades, National Academy Press, 1999. The report presents the results of the Committee's review of NASA's plans for further upgrades to the space shuttle system. The Committee was asked to assess NASA's method for evaluating and selecting upgrades and to conduct a top-level technical assessment of proposed upgrades. The Report is now online and is shown in both HTML and Book Object format and is best viewed by a browser capable of viewing tables.

US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineer and Research Development Center (ERDC) Virtual Library

This site provides the full text of publications of the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. They cover a wide range of subjects including military engineering, construction and environmental issues. It also provides details of useful internet links, contact details for the library, and publications of the USACE, Civil Works Guidance Documents and the Handbook of Concrete and Cement.

Veterans and Agent Orange : Update 2006

This is a full text bookmade available by National Academies Press written by Committee to Review the Health Effects in Vietnam Veterans of Exposure to Herbicides (Sixth Biennial Update), Institute of Medicine and dated 2007. From 1962 to 1971, the U.S. military sprayed herbicides over Vietnam to strip the thick jungle canopy that could conceal opposition forces, to destroy crops that those forces might depend on, and to clear tall grasses and bushes from the perimeters of U.S. base camps and outlying fire-support bases. In response to concerns and continuing uncertainty about the long-term health effects of the sprayed herbicides on Vietnam veterans, Veterans and Agent Orange provides a comprehensive evaluation of scientific and medical information regarding the health effects of exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides used in Vietnam. The 2006 volume is the seventh update in this biennial series. It will be of interest to policy makers and physicians in the federal government, veterans and their families, veterans' organizations, researchers, and health professionals. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available to read online in open book format.

Wake Turbulence : an Obstacle to Increased Air Traffic Capacity

This provides access to a National Academies Press online book dated 2008. Wingtip vortices were first described by British aerodynamicist F.W. Lanchester in 1907. A product of lift on a finite-span wing, these counter-rotating masses of air trail behind an aircraft, gradually diffusing while convecting downward and moving about under mutual induction and the influence of wind and stratification. Should a smaller aircraft happen to be following the first aircraft, it could be buffeted and even flipped if it flew into the vortex, with dangerous consequences. Given the amount of air traffic in 1907, the wake vortex hazard was not initially much of a concern. Times have changed. The demand for air transportation continues to increase, and it is estimated that demand could double or even triple by 2025. One factor in the capacity of the air transportation system is wake turbulence and the consequent separation distances that must be maintained between aircraft to ensure safety. In 2005, Congress passed the 2005 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Authorization Act (P.L. 109-155), which, inter alia, directed the NASA administrator to enter into an arrangement with the National Research Council (NRC) to assess federal wake turbulence research and development (R&D) programs to address whether the federal R&D goals and objectives were well defined, whether there were any deficiencies in them, and what roles should be played by each of the relevant federal agencies: NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA, part of the Department of Commerce). This report is the result that assessment, based on the statement of task (see Appendix A) developed by NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate and the NRC in accordance with the congressional direction. Chapter 5 lists all findings and recommendations; this summary highlights some of them. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Wake Turbulence : Obstacle to Increased Air Traffic Capacity

This is a full text book made available by National Academies Press written by Committee to Conduct an Independent Assessment of the Nation's Wake Turbulence Research and Development Program, National Research Council and dated 2008. Without major changes, the current air transportation system will be unable to accommodate the expected increase in demand by 2025. One proposal to address this problem is to use the Global Positioning System to enable aircraft to fly more closely spaced. This approach, however, might be limited by the wake turbulence problem, which can be a safety hazard when smaller aircraft follow relatively larger aircraft too closely. To examine how this potential hazard might be reduced, Congress in 2005 directed NASA to request a study from the NRC to assess the federal wake turbulence R&D program. This book provides a description of the problem, an assessment of the organizational challenges to addressing wake turbulence, an analysis of the technical challenges in wake turbulence, and a proposal for a wake turbulence program plan. A series of recommendations for addressing the wake turbulence challenge are also given. [Taken from abstract]. The full text os available to read online in open book format.

War by Other Means - Building Complete and Balanced Capabilities for Counterinsurgency

This technical report (MG-595/2-OSD) was produced by The RAND Corporation in 2008 and was written by David C. Gompert, John Gordon, IV, Adam Grissom, David R. Frelinger, Seth G. Jones, Martin C. Libicki, Edward O'Connell, Brooke K. Stearns and Robert E. Hunter. The difficulties encountered by the United States in securing Iraq and Afghanistan despite years of effort and staggering costs raises the central question of the RAND Counterinsurgency Study: How should the United States improve its capabilities to counter insurgencies, particularly those that are heavily influenced by transnational terrorist movements and thus linked into a global jihadist network? This capstone volume to the study draws on other reports in the series as well as an examination of 89 insurgencies since World War II, an analysis of the new challenges posed by what is becoming known as global insurgency, and many of the lessons learned in Iraq and Afghanistan. The report’s recommendations are based on the premise that counterinsurgency (COIN) is a contest for the allegiance of a nation’s population; victory over jihadist insurgency consists not of merely winning a war against terrorists but of persuading Islamic populations to choose legitimate government and reject violent religious tyranny. The authors evaluate three types of COIN capabilities: civil capabilities to help weak states improve their political and economic performance; informational and cognitive capabilities to enable better governance and improve COIN decisionmaking; and security capabilities to protect people and infrastructure and to weaken insurgent forces. Gompert and Gordon warn that U.S. capabilities are deficient in several critical areas but also emphasize that U.S. allies and international organizations can provide capabilities that the United States currently cannot. The authors conclude by outlining the investments, organizational changes within the federal government and the military, and international arrangements that the United States should pursue to improve its COIN capabilities. [Taken from abstract]. This is a PDF file, so Adobe Acrobat software will be required in order to read it.

War by Other Means : Building Complete and Balanced Capabilities for Counterinsurgency : Final Report

This provides access to a Rand Counterinsurgengy Study report written by David C Gompert ...[et al] and dated 2008. The difficulties encountered by the United States in securing Iraq and Afghanistan despite years of effort and staggering costs raises the central question of the RAND Counterinsurgency Study: How should the United States improve its capabilities to counter insurgencies, particularly those that are heavily influenced by transnational terrorist movements and thus linked into a global jihadist network? This capstone volume to the study draws on other reports in the series as well as an examination of 89 insurgencies since World War II, an analysis of the new challenges posed by what is becoming known as global insurgency, and many of the lessons learned in Iraq and Afghanistan. The report’s recommendations are based on the premise that counterinsurgency (COIN) is a contest for the allegiance of a nation’s population; victory over jihadist insurgency consists not of merely winning a war against terrorists but of persuading Islamic populations to choose legitimate government and reject violent religious tyranny. The authors evaluate three types of COIN capabilities: civil capabilities to help weak states improve their political and economic performance; informational and cognitive capabilities to enable better governance and improve COIN decisionmaking; and security capabilities to protect people and infrastructure and to weaken insurgent forces. Gompert and Gordon warn that U.S. capabilities are deficient in several critical areas but also emphasize that U.S. allies and international organizations can provide capabilities that the United States currently cannot. The authors conclude by outlining the investments, organizational changes within the federal government and the military, and international arrangements that the United States should pursue to improve its COIN capabilities. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

War in the Air : 2nd edition

This gives access to an Royal Australian Air Force Air Power Development Centre publication edited by Alan Stephens and dated May 2009. From the first time that aircraft were used as weapons of war, control of these assets has been contentious and air power has been a controversial subject. In March 1994, the Royal Australian Air Force held an international conference on the theme ‘The War in the Air 1914-1994’ where some of the world’s leading air power scholars and practitioners examined this most potent form of combat power from World War I to the First Gulf War. They also examined the possible future applications of air power. The proceedings of the conference, when published, became an instant ‘best seller’. It was instituted as required reading in a number of strategy and air power courses across the world. This second edition of the proceedings contains only the papers presented and selected transcripts of discussions that followed. This book in its current form will be a definitive reference for all students of air power. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Watching the Bear : Essays on CIA's Analysis of the Soviet Union

This site provides the full text of the book edited by Gerald K. Haines and Robert E. Leggett. It contains papers presented at the presented at the first six panel sessions of the Center for the Study of Intelligence (CSI) and the Center of International Studies at Princeton University conference, CIA's Analysis of the Soviet Union, 1947-1991, held on March 9-10 2001. The papers look at US intelligence analysis of the Soviet Union during the Cold War and provide a critique of the CIA's analysis of Soviet political, economic, military, and science and technology developments based on declassified documents from 1947-1991.

Weighted Airman Promotion System : Standardizing Test Scores

This provides access to a Rand Organization publication by Michael Schiefer ...[et al] dated 2008. Because test scores that are part of its enlisted promotion system are not standardized, the U.S. Air Force effectively emphasizes longevity and test-taking ability differently across and within specialties, and this emphasis varies randomly over time. The random aspects of the promotion reward system mean that the Air Force cannot be sure that it is selecting individuals with the highest potential to fill positions of increased grade and responsibility. Furthermore, not standardizing scores means that some specialties randomly produce higher percentages of senior non-commissioned officers. The authors discuss a range of outcomes that the Air Force could achieve by adopting various standardization strategies. They propose a modification that would not change the policy of equal selection opportunity but would affect selection outcomes within specialties. They recommend that the Air Force implement a standardization strategy that will produce predictable outcomes that are consistent with its personnel priorities and policies. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Why Has the Cost of Fixed-Wing Aircraft Risen? : Macroscopic Examination of the Trends in U.S. Military Aircraft Costs Over the Past Several Decades

This gives access to a Rand Oganization report written by Mark V. Arena and dated 2008. The report explores why, in recent decades, military fixed-wing aircraft costs have escalated beyond the rates of commonly used inflation indices, examining both economy-driven factors that the Services cannot control and customer-driven ones that they can. The authors found that this trend of cost increases is true for all types of aircraft — patrol, cargo, trainer, bomber, attack, fighter, and electronic warfare. Economy-driven variables examined include costs for labor, equipment, and material. Customer-driven ones include the costs of providing the performance characteristics that the Services want in their aircraft. The study found several reasons for cost escalation: the increased demand for greater aircraft stealth, the requirement for reduced aircraft weight, and government regulations designed to protect American industry and technology, the environment, and occupational health. Several options to reduce cost escalation are examined, including encouraging international competition for aircraft manufacture, stabilizing procurement rates, and incorporating “lessons learned” from prior development programs. Until this cost trend is curbed, the government will be able to afford fewer, increasingly expensive aircraft, especially if long-term defense investment spending remains relatively constant. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Withdrawing from Iraq : Alternative Schedules, Associated Risks, and Mitigating Strategies

This gives access to a Rand Corporation publication written by Walter Perry ...[et al] and dated 2009. Since 2007, security has improved dramatically in Iraq. The U.S. and Iraqi governments — and most Iraqis — want to see both the U.S. presence there reduced and the Iraqi government and security forces assuming a greater role in providing for public security. The challenge is to effect this drawdown while preserving security and stability in the country and in the region. In response to tasking from the U.S. Congress, RAND researchers conducted an independent study to examine drawdown schedules, risks, and mitigating strategies. They identified logistical constraints on moving equipment out of the country, assessed trends in insurgent activity and the ability of Iraqi security forces to counter it, and examined the implications for the size of the residual U.S. force and for security in Iraq and the region. This report presents alternative drawdown schedules — one consistent with the Obama administration's stated intentions and two others, one somewhat slower and another faster — that are responsive to these factors. It also recommends steps that the United States can take to alleviate anticipated constraints, overcome likely resistance, and reduce the potential risks associated with a drawdown. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Women and Nation-Building

This technical report (MG-579-CMEPP) was produced by The RAND Corporation in 2008 and was written by Cheryl Benard, Seth G. Jones, Olga Oliker, Cathryn Quantic Thurston, Brooke K. Stearns and Kristen Cordell. This study examines gender-specific impacts of conflict and post-conflict and the ways in which events in these contexts may affect women differently than they affect men. It analyzes the roles of women in the nation-building process and considers outcomes that might occur if current practices were modified. The recent nation-building activities in Afghanistan are used as a case study. Despite the difficulty of collecting data in conflict zones, the information available from Afghanistan provides several pragmatic points for consideration. Gender issues have been overtly on the table from the beginning of U.S. post-conflict involvement in Afghanistan, in part because of the Taliban’s equally overt prior emphasis on gender issues as a defining quality of its regime. Also, the issue of women’s inclusion is an official part of Afghanistan’s development agenda, so all the active agents in the nation-building enterprise have made conscious choices and decisions that can be reviewed and their underlying logic evaluated. The monograph concludes with a broad set of analytic and policy recommendations. First, specific suggestions are made for improving the data-collection process. Then, three shifts in emphasis are recommended that could strengthen the prospects of stability and enhance the outcomes of nation-building programs: a more genuine emphasis on the broader concept of human security from the earliest phases of the nation-building effort; a focus on establishing governance based on principles of equity and consistent rule of law; and economic inclusion of women in the earliest stages of reconstruction activities. [Taken from abstract]. This is a PDF file, so Adobe Acrobat software will be required in order to read it.

Wonderful Balloon Ascents (Conquest of the Skies : History of Balloons and Ballon Voyages)

This is provides access to a book written by Fulgence Marion released for publication as an Ebook by Project Gutenberg. PART I. The Conquest of the Skies (1783) Chapter I. Introduction.The title of our introduction to aeronautics may appear ambitious to astronomers, and to those who know that the infinite space we call the heavens is for ever inaccessible to travellers from the earth; but it was not so considered by those who witnessed the ardent enthusiasm evoked at the ascension of the first balloon. No discovery, in the whole range of history, has elicited an equal degree of applause and admiration--never has the genius of man won a triumph which at first blush seemed more glorious. The mathematical and physical sciences had in aeronautics achieved apparently their greatest honours, and inaugurated a new era in the progress of knowledge. After having subjected the earth to their power; after having made the waves of the sea stoop in submission under the keels of their ships; after having caught the lightning of heaven and made it subservient to the ordinary purposes of life, the genius of man undertook to conquer the regions of the air. Imagination, intoxicated with past successes, could descry no limit to human power; the gates of the infinite seemed to be swinging back before man's advancing step, and the last was believed to be the greatest of his achievements. [Taken from introduction]. It is available for on-screen browsing in text format and as a downloadable zip file, from a number of specified servers.

Wright Air Development Center Digital Collection

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base has been a major centre of aeronautical and aeorspace design and development for many years. The purpose of this site is to document various aspects of the Wright Air Development Center (WADC) period in this long history. The site, which is hosted by the Galvin Library at Illinois Institue of Technology, provides access to a range of information resources. The history section includes a timeline of important events; image gallery, an overview of WADC's association with Illinois Institute of Technology; and features on the Center's involvement in both the "space race" and the Roswell incident. The reference shelf contains a linked bibliography of historical sources relating to the Wright Air Development Center. Some of these publications, such as, Birthplace, Home and Future of Aerospace... The Evolution of Aeronautical Development at the Aeronautical Systems Center, are available in full text (pdf format). The Digital Collection provides access to WADC technical report information. The collection can be browsed by report number, date, author or corporate author. Many of the reports are available in full text. A full bibliography of reports is also available in pdf, MS Excel, or interactive (requires Internet Explorer v. 4.01 and Microsoft Office Web Components) formats.

Free flight to the information you need - fast!

Home | Aerospace & defence | DEVISE | ESDU Series
Reports Archive | Shrivenham Index | ConferenceBrief | JobsBrief UK | NewsBrief

© Cranfield University