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Investigating Supply Parts Delivery Delay From Supply Depot To King Khaled Air Base In Royal Saudi Air Force, Rashed S. Alkhathami Dec 2022

Investigating Supply Parts Delivery Delay From Supply Depot To King Khaled Air Base In Royal Saudi Air Force, Rashed S. Alkhathami

Theses and Dissertations

Aircraft supply parts is an important factor in preparing the aircraft to do its mission. Due to delayed delivery of parts or inefficient delivery process, time may be lost waiting for aircraft supply parts, causing mission delay or failure. By tackling the delivery delay causes we can insure improvement on delivery process. In order to gather data for this thesis two different tools were used, aircraft parts data and an interview. Data was gathered from the F15 maintenance and supply squadrons in the Royal Saudi Air Force. Results of this research showed diverting in the main duty of supply depot …


A Case Study Of The Efficacy Of Model-Based Requests For Information, Kyle J. Arruda Sep 2022

A Case Study Of The Efficacy Of Model-Based Requests For Information, Kyle J. Arruda

Theses and Dissertations

The Department of Defense (DoD) has encouraged the transition to digital engineering, yet there are limited guides for how to transition and there is limited data to show where an organization like a program office can reap the most benefit from the transition. To identify areas where potential benefits may be realized, this thesis compares two Requests for Information (RFIs), one document-based and one model-based, from generation to response. A survey was developed and administered to 7 members of a single program office to grade the RFI responses. The survey was based on the 43 benefit categories identified in the …


Evaluating Performance Competencies In The Royal Saudi Air Force Engineering Directorate And Squadrons, Faisal A. Al Dawood Sep 2022

Evaluating Performance Competencies In The Royal Saudi Air Force Engineering Directorate And Squadrons, Faisal A. Al Dawood

Theses and Dissertations

The effectiveness of tasks performed by the directorate of aeronautical engineering and squadrons in RSAF directly impacts flight safety, which in turn influences the organization either positively or negatively. Therefore, improving engineers' competencies will improve the overall performance of the organization. The study refined and reconstructed a model, namely a T-shape competency model, to assess the engineers' competencies which revealed some management and competency-related deficiencies and concluded with managerial recommendations.


Cost-Benefit Analysis Of The Saudi Land Bridge Project, Faris J. Alotaibi Sep 2022

Cost-Benefit Analysis Of The Saudi Land Bridge Project, Faris J. Alotaibi

Theses and Dissertations

Projects are the backbone of economic thrive of nations, especially infrastructure projects. It’s counted as the base layer of allowing economic trade between beneficiaries. Railway projects have always been a huge element in increasing trade operations between Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world, by providing an efficient and environmentally friendly way that is capable of hauling large loads of exports all the way to the seaports and from there to the rest of the world. The Saudi land bridge project will cost about $11 billion and will provide a new link between the existent railway in the eastern …


Retention Prediction And Policy Optimization For United States Air Force Personnel Management, Joseph C. Hoecherl Sep 2022

Retention Prediction And Policy Optimization For United States Air Force Personnel Management, Joseph C. Hoecherl

Theses and Dissertations

Effective personnel management policies in the United States Air Force (USAF) require methods to predict the number of personnel who will remain in the USAF as well as to replenish personnel with different skillsets over time as they depart. To improve retention predictions, we develop and test traditional random forest models and feedforward neural networks as well as partially autoregressive forms of both, outperforming the benchmark on a test dataset by 62.8% and 34.8% for the neural network and the partially autoregressive neural network, respectively. We formulate the workforce replenishment problem as a Markov decision process for active duty enlisted …


Developing A Model-Based Approach To Forecast A Competitor's System, Christopher A. Del Vecchio May 2022

Developing A Model-Based Approach To Forecast A Competitor's System, Christopher A. Del Vecchio

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to develop a model-based approach to intelligence forecasting of a competitor’s system. This analysis currently uses a document-based practice to capture all knowledge of the forecast and its development. A framework of antithesis processes, or Anti-Processes, were derived from the systems engineering technical processes. This was then combined with analytical tradecraft from the field of competitive technical intelligence to build a SysML reference model, which was then applied to a small case study to enhance and refine the model. The Anti-Process framework and SysML reference model provide a rigorous, model-based approach to intelligence forecasts …


Air Force Specialty Code Assignment Optimization, Rebecca L. Reynolds Mar 2022

Air Force Specialty Code Assignment Optimization, Rebecca L. Reynolds

Theses and Dissertations

Each year, the Air Force Personnel Center determines which career field newly commissioned officers will serve under during their time in the Air Force. The career fields are assigned while considering five priorities, dictated by Headquarters Air Force, Manpower and Personnel: target number of cadets, education requirements, average cadet percentile, cadet source of commissioning, and cadet preference. A mixed-integer linear program with elasticized constraints is developed to generate cadet assignments according to these priorities. Each elasticized constraint carries an associated reward and penalty, which is used to dictate the importance of the constraint within the model. A subsequent analysis is …


Improving Task-Operator Analysis For Training Through The Integration Of Human Learning Taxonomies And Systems Engineering Models, James M. Earley Mar 2022

Improving Task-Operator Analysis For Training Through The Integration Of Human Learning Taxonomies And Systems Engineering Models, James M. Earley

Theses and Dissertations

Training is a critical part of force sustainment, but the life-cycle cost of recurring training can be quite high. Further, the promotion of the Multi-Capable Airman (MCA) concept leads to questions on how best to train airmen on tasks outside of their core career field. The MCA concept, coupled with continued increase of technology effectiveness, incentivize the replacement of formerly in-residence-only training with distance training that enables Just-in-Time (JIT) learning. However, effective implementation of the MCA concept may also require adaptive training which considers the knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) developed by a trainee within their core career field when …


The Application Of Virtual Reality In Firefighting Training, Dylan A. Gagnon Mar 2022

The Application Of Virtual Reality In Firefighting Training, Dylan A. Gagnon

Theses and Dissertations

Immersive simulations such as virtual reality is becoming more prevalent for use in training environments for many professions. United States Air Force firefighters may benefit from incorporating VR technology into their training program to increase organizational commitment, job satisfaction, self-efficacy, and job performance. With implementing a new training platform, it is also important to understand the relationship between these variables and the perceived benefits and efficacy of the VR training, which has not yet been studied in previous research. This study addresses this issue by gathering data from fire departments currently fielding a VR fire training platform.


Examining The Relationship Between An Aging Workforce And Logistics Performance Indicators, Daniel Parkhill Mar 2022

Examining The Relationship Between An Aging Workforce And Logistics Performance Indicators, Daniel Parkhill

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 every day. The subsequent generation born between 1965 and 1976 is significantly smaller, referred to as the baby bust. As a result, this causes a talent shortage as Baby Boomers retire, leaving a workforce gap which the subsequent generation is not large enough to fill. This issue also has been recognized as a potential problem in the logistics community of the United States Air Force. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of workers age on key logistics performance indicators (LPIs) such as aircraft availability, product flow days, …


Understanding Logistics Airmen’S Risk Information Seeking And Processing During The Covid-19 Pandemic: The Role Of Organizational Meetings In An Extended Prism Framework, Christopher T. Price Mar 2022

Understanding Logistics Airmen’S Risk Information Seeking And Processing During The Covid-19 Pandemic: The Role Of Organizational Meetings In An Extended Prism Framework, Christopher T. Price

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this survey-based research was to understand how organizational workplace meetings surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic impacted logistics Airmen across the United States Air Force and subsequently played a role into their risk seeking behavior on social media. Specifically, this research tested an expanded Planned Information Risk Seeking Model with organizational meetings as an antecedent to determine if current meetings influenced an Airman's perceived behavioral control, attitude toward seeking, subjective norms, knowledge sufficiency an intentions to seek information regarding COVID-19.


Exploring The Value Of Training System Alternatives Through Methods Technologies, And Relevant Attributes, Brian R. Novitsky Mar 2022

Exploring The Value Of Training System Alternatives Through Methods Technologies, And Relevant Attributes, Brian R. Novitsky

Theses and Dissertations

Skilled maintainers are being lost at a higher rate than average of all enlisted career fields within the Air Force. Although incentive programs can provide some retention, attrition rates may continue to vary, placing the readiness of the warfighter in jeopardy. Additionally, the technologies used to train maintainers have evolved substantially, including augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) solutions, among others. These technologies have recently gained notoriety as novel ways to increase training effectiveness, providing avenues for maintainers to achieve greater skill levels at a faster rate than traditional platforms. Through semi-structured subject matter expert (SME) interviews, this qualitative …


Performance Improvement Through Better Understanding Of Supply Chain Resilience, Amanda L. Femano Sep 2021

Performance Improvement Through Better Understanding Of Supply Chain Resilience, Amanda L. Femano

Theses and Dissertations

Businesses operate every day in a disruptive environment. Supply and demand uncertainty, natural disasters, global pandemics, and mishaps can all cause chaos to a supply chain’s flow. It is impossible to predict every disruption a supply chain may encounter. The best an organization can do to protect network performance is to build resilience in the supply chain and life-blood of its operations. Ensuring that a supply chain has the proper built-in mechanisms to resist and recover from disruptions is referred to as Supply Chain Resilience (SCR). While it is generally agreed that SCR can be improved through the implementation of …


Examining The Influence Of Source Dependence On Supplier Performance In The Usaf Organic Supply Chain, Thomas A. Counter Jun 2021

Examining The Influence Of Source Dependence On Supplier Performance In The Usaf Organic Supply Chain, Thomas A. Counter

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the U.S. Air Force's dependence toward sole sourcing and how that influences procurement outcomes in terms of supplier performance. This research used linear regression to explain the effect of source dependence and supplier size on performance categories for 326 suppliers. The five supplier performance categories in the study included timeliness, cost control, quality, business relations, and regulatory compliance. The research found that the USAFs dependence on sole sourcing had a small but statistically significant influence on all five aspects of supplier performance, with timeliness being the most adversely impacted.


Developing A Basic Formal Supply Chain Ontology To Improve Communication And Interoperability, David Morrow Jun 2021

Developing A Basic Formal Supply Chain Ontology To Improve Communication And Interoperability, David Morrow

Theses and Dissertations

Information is crucial to supply chain performance because it is used to make decisions and trigger actions. Organizations across world-class supply chains increasingly use information technology to analyze and process supply chain data. However, supply chain management lacks a common language, making information exchange difficult. An ontology can provide a standardized framework that organizes a given knowledge domain. This research proposes a common language for developing a supply chain ontology that can be built into a basic formal ontology understood by both humans and computers. According to current research, an established and widely used supply chain framework is a good …


Guidance For Building Motivation In Space Operator Training, Foster E. Davis Mar 2021

Guidance For Building Motivation In Space Operator Training, Foster E. Davis

Theses and Dissertations

Services provided by spacecraft, including communications and global positioning, are integral to small businesses, multinational corporations, and the United States Department of Defense. United States rivals recognize the need to undermine the military advantage provided by the space domain and are exploring ways to degrade these services in their warfare doctrine. In response, the United States will need space systems suited to counter these threats and personnel who are trained to respond to the new reality of a contested space environment. This paper also reviews the academic literature and written guidelines for developing motivation in an interactive environment for improving …


An Examination Into Retention Behavior Of Air Force Female Officers, Jessica M. Astudillo Mar 2021

An Examination Into Retention Behavior Of Air Force Female Officers, Jessica M. Astudillo

Theses and Dissertations

Female retention rates in the US military have been considerably lower than that of their male counterparts for numerous years. In the Air Force, women represent 14 percent of officer ranks from O-5 level and above. Comparatively, the overall rate of women officers in service is 20 percent. Understanding the negative factors associated with the attrition rate of this group can help the Air Force leverage positive change. It may also influence adjustments that will increase the number of women serving, and improve diversity throughout both the officer and enlisted ranks. In this study, logistic regression and survival analysis are …


Examining Military Cargo Pilots' Eco-Friendly Flying Intention, Ioan A. Gaitan Mar 2021

Examining Military Cargo Pilots' Eco-Friendly Flying Intention, Ioan A. Gaitan

Theses and Dissertations

The US Air Force is the largest operational energy consumer within the Department of Defense primarily due to aviation fuel use. Military pilots can play important roles in saving aviation fuel by flying aircraft in an eco-friendly manner. According to the theory of planned behavior (TPB), intention is the major predictor of behavior. This study tests two models based on TPB for understanding cargo pilots’ eco-friendly intentions when they conduct channel or logistics missions. The study found that attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavior control were significant antecedents to intention in a multiple regression with aggregated scales.


A Survey Of The Strategic Alternate Sourcing Program Offices Management Of United States Air Force Diminishing Manufacturing Sources And Material Shortages Subject Matter Experts, David E. Portée Mar 2021

A Survey Of The Strategic Alternate Sourcing Program Offices Management Of United States Air Force Diminishing Manufacturing Sources And Material Shortages Subject Matter Experts, David E. Portée

Theses and Dissertations

The office designated by the Air Force to be DMSMS subject expert program office is known as the Strategic Alternate Sourcing Program Office (SASPO). Aided by the USAF Program Offices and DMSMS Subject Matter Experts, the SASPO is responsible for sourcing DMSMS resolutions as well as the organizing, training, and equipping of the Program Offices DMSMS Programs. Using quantitative research, this study conducts a survey, with the USAF Program Offices as the unit of analysis, to gain insight as to where the SASPO is doing well and where gaps exist in their program management. The analysis and conclusion identify where …


Resilient Maintenance Infrastructure: Dynamic Repair Network Designs To Effectively Manage Supply Chain Disruptions, David W. Wallace Iii Mar 2021

Resilient Maintenance Infrastructure: Dynamic Repair Network Designs To Effectively Manage Supply Chain Disruptions, David W. Wallace Iii

Theses and Dissertations

Supply chains are facing numerous changes contributing to their increase in complexity and vulnerability to disruptions. Subsequently, decision-makers lack a transparent, generalizable tool to quantify supply chain resilience and assess additional resilience investments. This research facilitates a more profound understanding of the intricacies and interrelation of supply chain nodes and constructs. It integrates the Area under the Curve (AUC) metric to quantify performance or any organizational measure of competitive advantage amid a disruption. Due to its structural resemblance to various organizational platforms, the subset United States Air Force (USAF) F-16 engine repair and supply network is modeled employing discrete-event simulation. …


Predicting F-16 Cause Code H Micap Hours Using Jmp Regression Analysis, Scott E. Carr Mar 2021

Predicting F-16 Cause Code H Micap Hours Using Jmp Regression Analysis, Scott E. Carr

Theses and Dissertations

Emergency demands for aircraft parts, MICAPs (Mission Impaired Capability Awaiting Parts) are one of the leading issues affecting mission capability supply rates for fighter aircraft. Cause code H MICAPS, those with a known demand level, but no supply available, are particularly troublesome and difficult to resolve. These MICAPS are due to failures by the supply chain to replenish stock levels within acceptable time limits. Numerous studies have identified a clear need for proactive measures to reduce MICAP hours. This would significantly improve aircraft availability. This study uses regression analysis implemented in JMP software to build models with a goal of …


An Examination Of Potential Training Regression Recognition Algorithms For Pilot Training Next, Alex R. Gaines Mar 2021

An Examination Of Potential Training Regression Recognition Algorithms For Pilot Training Next, Alex R. Gaines

Theses and Dissertations

The initiative to reduce the Air Forces serious pilot shortage lead to the Pilot Training Next (PTN) program. Under PTN, student pilots progress at an individual rate while making increased use of simulator-based training resources. A previous thesis used data from the first PTN class to conceptualize and prototype a student training flight scheduler. This scheduler did not consider training events required to bring students back to achieved levels of performance if in fact that student performance had regressed. This thesis examines three classes of PTN student data to determine whether student regression in training progression can be detected. A …


Modeling Air Force Retention With Macroeconomic Indicators, Michelle K. Mcgee Mar 2021

Modeling Air Force Retention With Macroeconomic Indicators, Michelle K. Mcgee

Theses and Dissertations

Officer retention has been a longstanding problem for Air Force leadership. Both intuition and previous research suggest economic and demographic factors play important roles in an officers decision to separate from service. Leading economic indicators are nationally reported statistics that tend to be predictive of where the economy is heading. This work targets the research gap of how leading economic indicators explain and predict attrition. Due to the noisy, complex nature of the data, the model had varied success in accurately predicting future attrition rates. As a result of this research, the current models can incorporate these findings to become …


The Obstacles To The Modernization Of Common Support Equipment, J. Erik Ritschard Mar 2021

The Obstacles To The Modernization Of Common Support Equipment, J. Erik Ritschard

Theses and Dissertations

The current fleet of Common Support Equipment (CSE) is faced with a $2B funding disconnect that threatens 9 of the 12 USAF Core Functions. This research identifies the barriers to efforts to modernize CSE across the sustainment, acquisition, and maintenance communities. Using a qualitative, grounded theory methodology, the responses are explored of interviewed Support Equipment managers responsible for the sustainment and modernization of CSE. Significant barriers to current modernization efforts were exposed, resulting in expensive, duplicative, and unreliable equipment; concluding that the AF must change the way CSE is administrated, funded, and culturally understood to prevent future mission degradation.


Investigation Of An Avionics Part Deficiencies In Royal Saudi Air Force Fleets, Nasser S. Alanazi Sep 2020

Investigation Of An Avionics Part Deficiencies In Royal Saudi Air Force Fleets, Nasser S. Alanazi

Theses and Dissertations

The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) is experiencing a shortage in certain avionics parts due to a lack of reliability. This issue is causing a supply chain disturbance in the F1-15 fleet and the Hawk fleet. One of the factors behind this problem is the environmental effects in Saudi Arabia .The study will investigate and analyze the methods for the Improvement Cycle Processes and the Quality Management within the RSAF repair cycle. Finding show that, the discrepancies are rising during summer and fall time due to the environment change, Other finding were addressed in the study.


Aligning Performance Management Systems For Lasting Outcomes In Humanitarian Operations, Kalyn M. Howard Sep 2020

Aligning Performance Management Systems For Lasting Outcomes In Humanitarian Operations, Kalyn M. Howard

Theses and Dissertations

Logistics is dynamic, expansive, and critical to organizational success. While it is generally believed that effective logistics management is associated with positive performance outcomes, the links between organizational practice and performance are understudied. This dissertation leverages resource-based theory and organizational learning theory to examine organizational practice and performance in non-traditional logistics settings, with particular focus on military organizations and humanitarian operational settings. First, a meta-analytical study establishes generalizable associations between various operations management practices and performance outcomes. Then, this is applied to dynamic humanitarian logistics settings, exploring how practitioners perceive practice and performance, and how this is reported and documented …


Resilient Aircraft Sustainment: Quantifying Resilience Through Asset And Capacity Allocation, Zachary B. Shannon Mar 2020

Resilient Aircraft Sustainment: Quantifying Resilience Through Asset And Capacity Allocation, Zachary B. Shannon

Theses and Dissertations

Decision makers lack a clear, generalizable method to quantify how additional investment in inventory and capacity equates to additional levels of resilience. This research facilitates a deeper understanding of the intricacies and complex interconnectedness of organizational supply chains by monetarily quantifying changes in network resilience. The developed Area under the Curve metric (AUC) is used to quantify the level of demand that each asset allocation can meet during a disruptive event. Due to its applicability across multiple domains, the USAF F-16 repair network in the Pacific theater (PACAF) is modeled utilizing discrete event simulation and used as the illustrating example. …


Sortie-Based Aircraft Component Demand Rate To Predict Requirements, Thomas R. O'Neal Mar 2020

Sortie-Based Aircraft Component Demand Rate To Predict Requirements, Thomas R. O'Neal

Theses and Dissertations

Weapon System Sustainment (WSS) costs are growing at an increasing rate despite the vast efforts to reduce them. Researchers have attributed much of the cost increase to inaccurate demand forecasts for weapon system spare parts. In 2011, the forecast to sustain all United States Air Force (USAF) aircraft was 19% accurate and WSS costs per year have continuously increased. The purpose of this study is to explore a parsimonious change to aircraft component forecasting to reduce costly forecast error. This study substitutes flying hours with sorties for the purpose of demand forecasting. Many F-16 and B-52 spare parts are evaluated …


The Effects Of Funding Gaps On Depot Maintenance Hours, Carlo S. D'Amato Mar 2020

The Effects Of Funding Gaps On Depot Maintenance Hours, Carlo S. D'Amato

Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between expenditures and readiness level is a topic of interest to military senior leaders, defense resource planners, and the American taxpayer alike. Senior leaders within the Air Force (AF) justify increased defense budgets by pointing to the potential adverse effects that decreased funding could have on military readiness. Resource planners within the AF are then tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that budgets are allocated most effectively to maximize the AF's ability to project airpower across a variety of contingency operations. This thesis investigates the relationship between budgets and readiness by examining the relationship between depot level funding …


Investigating Lifecycle Costs Of Optimized Battery-Photovoltaic Systems On A Forward Operating Base, Neal S. Fennell Mar 2020

Investigating Lifecycle Costs Of Optimized Battery-Photovoltaic Systems On A Forward Operating Base, Neal S. Fennell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to investigate the total life-cycle cost of using utility-scale battery systems to increase the energy efficiency of forward operating bases, thereby reducing the burden of diesel fuel logistics. Specifically, this thesis answered three research questions addressing optimal sizing for various battery types connected with photovoltaic grids, logistical parameters directly impacting total cost, and the cost of increasing the energy resilience of the network. The research questions were answered through a review of literature, modeling, and data analysis. The model determines an optimal size and area for a Vanadium redox flow, Lithium-ion, or Lead-acid battery …