Security cooperation is an important instrument of the U.S. government for advancing national security objectives vis-a-vis allies and partner countries. This report characterizes security cooperation mechanisms for capacity-building, produces a detailed database of the mechanism elements, develops and applies a preliminary means of evaluating select mechanisms, and recommends ways to improve mechanism effectiveness and efficiency.

The U.S. Department of Defense has placed a renewed emphasis on planning for security cooperation with foreign militaries, but it is still in the early stages of developing comprehensive guidance on how to conduct this type of planning. This report presents best practices for U.S. Air Force planners on how to develop, resource, execute, and assess country plans while the official guidance is in development.