Research for Technology
March 1, 2012
The Department of Defense’s Rapid Reaction Technology Office (RRTO) issued a “Strategic Communication Science and Technology Plan” in 2009 that surveyed the government’s programs in this area and their gaps. To keep abreast of the latest technological developments, this report is being updated for FY 2012.
January 9, 2012
This paper discusses the critical need for a new paradigm in policing: one that incorporates aspects of existing policing concepts in a manner that recognizes the significant changes in the twenty-first century criminal environment, the economic and social realities facing law enforcement entities, and the availability of potentially powerful technology-driven, crime-fighting tools.
June 1, 2011
This two-pager provides an overview of the Bureau of Justices Assistance SMART Policing Initiative. CNA assists 32 law enforcement departments and agencies nationwide in developing and implementing strategies, by providing training and technical assistance.
January 1, 2002
Abstract:D5161.A2 In November 2000, CNA, in collaboration with the Commander, Navy Recruiting Command (CNRC), launched an experimental DEP Web site, called Cyber DEP, to test whether the Internet could be useful in helping to maintain the motivation of those in DEP, as well as to better prepare DEPers for boot camp and academic training before going on active duty. The Cyber DEP Web site was intended to reduce DEP attrition by providing two basic functions: enhanced communication and e-Learning, both available 24/7. The results of our analysis indicate that the site had a significant impact on reducing DEP attrition and that, in most cases, the more intensively the site was used, the greater the reduction in attrition. The largest category of recruiting costs is recruiter manpower, so, for simplicity, we calculate the returns to the Web site in terms of manpower costs alone. In these terms, our estimated reduction in DEP losses that could accrue if the Web site was continued equate to over $12 million in recruiter compensation.
Read More
| Download Report
May 1, 2001
At the beginning of the new century, the Navy is undergoing a series of major changes in the way it fights. Changes in the force structure have altered the demand on personnel. New technologies are revolutionizing Navy platforms and concepts of operations. Business practices have shifted some work previously done by military personnel to civilians in both the civil service and the private sector. Organizational changes for all the armed forces, first initiated with the passage of Goldwater-Nichols in 1986, have placed increasing control in the hands of the joint arena. This paper explores how and why an efficient military might include an increasing proportion of senior officers over time. The argument rests on four main pillars: force structure; technology; outsourcing; and joint, interagency, and international coordination.
Read More
| Download Report
June 1, 1998
Lately, there has been a lot of debate about how military operations are changing. Changes in information technology and the ability to transmit new types of information may be affecting the character of warfare. The end of the Cold War, along with other social and political changes, are also seen as important harbingers of change in the way military forces are used. Some believe that we are either in, or at the beginning of, a revolution in military affairs (RMA). This study looks at what planning and events surrounding a recent operation. Operation UPHOLD DEMOCRACY, the U.S.-led intervention in Haiti, tell us about the question: What do changes in technology and operations mean for the operational level (Joint Task Force) commander?
Read More
| Download Report
October 1, 1997
Since November 1996, CNA has participated on a Technology Task Force established by the Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, to address several issues concerning the use of technology and Navy recruiting. This annotated briefing summarizes our ongoing efforts in three areas: Internet recruiting, Intranet showcase, and interactive multimedia. The unifying theme to these topics is the need for Navy recruiting to keep up with the rapid changes occurring in marketing and the exchange of information. High-tech methods of marketing and processing applicants should be pursued in order r to keep pace with the tremendous changes in the marketplace.
Read More
| Download Report
September 1, 1997
Telemedicine (TM) is an umbrella term that covers various technologies used to transmit information for health services. TM uses electronic information and communication technologies to provide and support health care when distance separates the participants. In an effort to enhance medical services at sea, the Navy is considering taking TM beyond the demonstration phase by installing the equipment on over 300 ships and Fleet Marine Force units. Because this would be a significant investment, the Surgeon General has asked CNA to determine the cost-effectiveness of the technology. We conducted a cost-benefit analysis on four telemedicine modalities: telephone and fax, e-mail and internet, video-teleconferencing, and teleradiology. These TM modalities can be enhanced with various digitized diagnostic instruments. We also conducted a cost-benefit analysis on the following instruments: dermascope, ophthalmoscope, otoscope, stethoscope, endoscope, electrocardiogram and defibrillator, and ultrasound.
Read More
| Download Report
July 1, 1996
The Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC) asked the Center for Naval Analyses to assess the general applicability of the new science to land warfare. 'New Sciences' is a catch-all phrase that refers to the tools and methodologies used in nonlinear dynamics and complex systems theory to study physical dynamical systems exhibiting a 'complicated dynamics.' This report concludes that the concepts, ideas, theories, tools and general methodologies of nonlinear dynamics and complex systems theory show enormous, almost unlimited, potential for not just providing better solutions for certain existing problems of land combat, but for fundamentally altering our general understanding of the basic processes of war, at all levels. Indeed, the new sciences' greatest legacy may, in the end, prove to be not just a set of creative answers to old questions but and entirely new set of questions to be asked of what really happens on the battlefield. The central thesis of this paper is that land combat is a complex adaptive system. That is to say, that land combat is essentially a nonlinear dynamical system composed of many interacting semi-autonomous and hierarchically organized agents continuously adapting to a changing environment. See also CIM 461.10.
Read More
| Download Report
June 1, 1994
Gaming is a tool that the military has used with great success to gain insights into the feasibility of alternative strategies or tactics before actually putting one into practice. Although gaming does not provide real answers, it can provide insights into strategic 'what if' questions. The validity of the insights gained is largely a function of the reality designed into the game and the willingness of the players to immerse themselves in the play. The Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) asked CNA to design a game based on a business sector undergoing change in response to the defense drawdown. The shipbuilding industry was chosen because (1) it is a critical business sector for U.S. economic and military security, (2) it is facing major near-term strategic and tactical decisions that will define its future, and (3) it could be gamed with a high degree of realism. The purpose of the game was to bring together important leaders from government and industry to exchange information and gain insights. Specifically, we wanted to help industry and government leaders answer the following questions: (a) How can the U.S. shipbuilding industry compete in the global market? and (b) What technologies enhance or promote U.S. competitiveness in this market? The game was designed with these objectives in mind. This research memorandum describes the game design and the game play, and provides a summary of the panel discussions, the shipyard play, and the lessons learned.
Read More
| Download Report
Follow CNA on
© 2013 CNA. All Rights Reserved.
4825 Mark Center Drive, Alexandria, VA 22311 | 703.824.2000 | Directions | Site Map