RAND Project Air Force

Mission — Project Air Force source

MISSION DESCRIPTION PAF helps DAF and Congressional leaders make informed, research-based decisions to meet critical challenges and solve policy issues of vital concern to ensure the success of our warfighters; plan for and defeat the accelerated threats from China and Russia; integrate air, space, and cyber capabilities across warfighting domains to enable U.S. advantage and to stay ahead of the innovation curve. PAF provides the DAF and the nation a return on investment that far exceeds its costs. PAF provides actionable recommendations on highest priority issues for DAF and saves billions of dollars while maximizing lethality and readiness. PAF research examines critical issues for DAF leadership: designing a survivable posture in the Pacific; operating in a contested electromagnetic environment; enlisted technical tracks; collaborating with allies and partners; and many more. PAF's research findings inform DAF and Congressional decision makers on high-priority programs like the F-35, the future intercontinental ballistic missile force, and the future long-range strike family of systems. PAF's cutting-edge research will help the DAF rapidly adapt to the changing world environment and emerging threats; continue to modernize and employ its force structure to provide capabilities within changing DoD budgets; assess lessons learned from recent and ongoing conflicts; develop and utilize its total force; and enhance the support of our air and space forces, ranging from sustainment of the force structure to agile combat support. RAND Project Air Force (PAF) is a Congressionally Mandated Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC). PAF is the Department of the Air Force's (DAF's) only FFRDC dedicated to studies and analysis. PAF's Steering Group is chaired by the USecAF, VCSAF and VCSO with Congressional, OSD, and DAF Top 7 oversight. BUDGET ITEM JUSTIFICATION In FY25, RAND PAF funding levels were restored to historical, required levels to maintain critical, analytic capability. If proposed the 8.3M funding cut for FY26 occurs, DAF and Congression will once again lose critical analytic capabilities. Without correction, FY26 funding levels will fall to a lower level than what is required to meet DAF's needs. Core research will not be provided in areas of strengthening alliances and regional partnerships, operational and tactical innovation, and logistics and defense in forward environments, emerging technologies, force readiness, and other issues. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605827F, 0605828F, 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605832F, 0605833F, 0605898F, 0606398F. In FY22 0M was expended for civilian pay expenses in this program element, and in FY23 0M is forecasted for civilian pay expenses in this program element. This program is in Budget Activity 6, RDT&E Management Support because this budget activity includes research, development, test and evaluation efforts and funds to sustain and/or modernize the installations or operations required for general research, development, test and evaluation.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (6)