Aligning Roles and Missions for Future Multidomain Warfare

Abstract

In light of new priorities established in recent strategic-level guidance such as the 2018 National Defense Strategy (NDS); 1 the rapid evolution of the U.S. Air Force (USAF), sister service, and joint concepts for Multidomain Operations (MDO); and the creation of the U.S. Space Force (USSF), Headquarters USAF asked the RAND Corporation to explore how and where USAF roles and functions might change to better align with these new demands and opportunities. This report seeks to inform USAF deliberations on whether service roles and functions should be modified and, if so, where and how. The report begins with a short history of major roles and functions events, first at the level of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and then focuses on the events of greatest salience for the USAF. It then assesses the implications of roles and functions as regards recent strategic-level guidance, such as the 2018 NDS; emerging operational concepts; and the creation of the USSF within the U.S. Department of the Air Force. Finally, the report considers the relationship between the USAF institutional vision and roles and functions, and specifically how the USAF's vision of its purpose determines which roles and functions should be protected, pursued, or divested.