Michael Bohnert is a licensed engineer at RAND. He has supported analysis work for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, SOCOM, U.S. Air Force, Australian DoD, and Canadian DND in topics including emerging and current technology, engineering and design, industrial base management, force structure, modeling and simulation, and wargaming.
Prior to joining RAND, Bohnert was an engineer at a navy nuclear laboratory focusing on design and lifecycle management of nuclear systems and the regulation thereof. Before that, he was a civilian engineer for the U.S. Navy.
Bohnert holds an M.E. in systems engineering for the Pennsylvania State University, a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Notre Dame, and is a licensed professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Education
M.E. in systems engineering, The Pennsylvania State University; B.S. in mechanical engineering, University of Notre Dame
Authored by Michael Bohnert
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Commentary
Oct 10, 2025
Ukraine's Drone-Inflicted 'Oil Sanctions' Will Impact More Than Russia's War Finances
Vladimir Putin relies heavily on corruption and patronage, with oil and gas serving as key revenue streams. Disrupting the flow could force Putin to choose between sustaining the war and maintaining the payouts that secure his political backing—though such an economic squeeze would take some time.
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Commentary
Oct 9, 2025
Cruise Missiles Are the Present and Future of Warfare
Regardless of what develops as the future of warfare, the combination of high survivability, success, and cost effectiveness means cruise missiles and their strike drone counterparts will continue to be the go-to first strike option for the United States and other major military powers.
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Commentary
Nov 14, 2024
My List of Weapons Europe Can Give Ukraine Now—Before It's Too Late
Europe must act swiftly to support Ukraine's defense amid potential U.S. aid cuts. By investing 0.5-1 percent of GDP, Europe can bolster Ukraine with air defense, artillery, drones, and essential military gear. Urgent action is needed to uphold European security and values.
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Commentary
Aug 23, 2024
Ukraine Has Found a Path to Victory
Ukraine has pulled off an operation that could buy time to regenerate and reequip its forces. The Kursk incursion puts in doubt Russia's ability to launch any major offensives for the rest of the year. Given sufficient Western aid, Kyiv could have the capability to begin restoring its territory in 2025.
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Commentary
Jul 8, 2024
NATO Summit in Washington: RAND Experts Weigh In
What will define the next 75 years of the NATO? We asked 30 RAND researchers about the major challenges facing the alliance today—and what opportunities NATO could seize to help secure its future. Here's what they said.
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Commentary
May 2, 2024
Here's What Ukraine Needs in Missiles, Shells, and Troops to Win. It's Completely Doable
After two years of the Russia-Ukraine war with still no end in sight, NATO members have begun asking what it will take to turn the tide in Ukraine's favor. To fully expel Russian forces in the next two years, U.S. support and broad NATO investments will be required.
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Commentary
Mar 29, 2024
The Russian Air Force Is Hollowing Itself Out. Air Defenses for Ukraine Would Speed That Up
The Russian Aerospace Forces has fewer than 650 tactical aircraft when accounting for end-of-life aircraft; it has even less when accounting for accelerated usage. But these numbers are unlikely to change Russia's behavior, based on its exhibited willingness to accept high losses, even for trivial gains.
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Research
Mar 5, 2024
Harnessing the Power of Private Sector Innovation to Defeat a Chinese Invasion of Taiwan: Relighting Vulcan's Forge
RAND brought together private sector technologists with defense experts to generate technological solutions that can be quickly deployed to help the United States defeat a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. The participants generated 17 solutions with the potential to make a game-changing impact.
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Research
Dec 14, 2023
Insights from the Plan Blue 21 Game: Examining the Role of Sensing and Partner and Allied Contributions to Competition with Russia in the Arctic
This report describes the 2021 U.S. Air Force–sponsored Plan Blue game, which examined competition against Russia in the Arctic with a focus on the role of sensing in competition and featured robust participation from regional partners and allies.
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Commentary
Oct 3, 2023
F-16s Are No Magic Bullet for Ukraine, but They Are a Game Changer with the Right Munitions
Will F-16s win the war for Ukraine? No. Only ground victories and unacceptable Russian losses will force Putin to negotiate. However, a long-term commitment to supporting a well-equipped, sizable F-16 force will improve the likelihood of Ukrainian success even if an F-16 never shoots a Russian fighter.
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Commentary
Aug 14, 2023
The Uncounted Losses to Russia's Air Force
The Russians have burned through more of the expected life span of their aircraft more quickly than anticipated. To make up for it, they'll have to procure more aircraft, increase maintenance, reduce operations, or accept a smaller force—or some combination of those.
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Research
Dec 20, 2022
New Directions for Projecting Land Power in the Indo-Pacific: Contexts, Constraints, and Concepts
This report seeks to address how the U.S. Army can most effectively project and employ land power in the Indo-Pacific, during competition and conflict, with a focus on scenarios involving China.