Jacob L. Heim

Jacob L. Heim is a Senior Policy Researcher at the RAND Corporation and Professor of Policy Analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy. His work focuses on strategic assessment, defense analysis, and U.S.-China military dynamics. He holds an M.A. from Johns Hopkins SAIS and a B.A. in Mathematics from Amherst College.

Research interests include anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) strategies, deterrence theory, and U.S. force posture in the Pacific. He has advised Department of Defense leadership on defense strategy and capability development. His recent work emphasizes artificial intelligence's impact on warfare and U.S. theories of victory in potential conflicts with China.

Prominent contributions include analyzing China's military modernization, developing the Theater Air Base Resiliency Optimization Model (TAB-ROM), and evaluating U.S. Air Force vulnerabilities in contested environments. He advocates for clear escalation management frameworks and cost-effective defense investments.