United States Air and Space Power in the 21st Century

This book examines air and space power in light of the challenges and opportunities that are emerging from increased demands for these assets and in light of technological and social change. Change--in international relations, in technology, and in society as a whole--has become the idiom of our age. One example of these changes has been an increasing recognition of the value of air and space assets for handling nearly every contingency from disaster relief to war and, consequently, increasing demand for such assets. These developments have created both challenges and opportunities for the U.S. Air Force. This, the fourth volume in the Strategic Appraisal series, draws on the expertise of researchers from across RAND to explore both the challenges and opportunities that the U.S. Air Force faces as it strives to support the nation's interests in a challenging technological and security environment. Contributors examine the changing roles of air and space forces in U.S. national security strategy, the implications of new systems and technologies for military operations, and the role of nuclear weapons in U.S. security strategy. Contributors also discuss the status of major modernization efforts within the Air Force, and the "bill of health" of the Air Force, as measured by its readiness to undertake its missions both today and in the future. The fourth volume in the Strategic Appraisal series focuses on the U.S. Air Force to examine the changing roles air and space forces play in U.S. national security strategy, the implications of new systems and technologies for military operations, the role of nuclear weapons in U.S. security strategy, and the status of major modernization efforts within the Air Force, concluding by providing a "bill of health" for the Air Force, as measured by its readiness to undertake its missions both today and in the future.