RAND Corporation

The RAND Corporation, founded in 1945 as Project RAND by U.S. Army Air Forces General Henry H. 'Hap' Arnold and Douglas Aircraft executive Franklin R. Collbohm, became an independent nonprofit in 1948 with Ford Foundation funding. Based in the United States, it is a civilian think tank focused on policy research and analysis for government and military decision-making. Key activities include national security, systems analysis, game theory, nuclear deterrence, and expansions into health, education, and urban policy; it contributed to internet foundations via packet switching and technologies like video recording. Notable achievements encompass pioneering operations research, policy analysis frameworks, and studies on satellites predating Sputnik. RAND remains active today with revenues from U.S. agencies and philanthropy, addressing military and domestic issues.