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Air Force Institute of Technology

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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Urgent Aeromedical Evacuation Network Capacity Planning, Scott C. Finkbeiner Mar 2013

Urgent Aeromedical Evacuation Network Capacity Planning, Scott C. Finkbeiner

Theses and Dissertations

Aeromedical Evacuation (AE) has been steadily utilized during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. AE is a global enterprise. The current structure of AE is facing changes as forces scale down from operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. AE will, however, continue to be important in its domestic use in the continental USA (CONUS). Current practice is to pull aircraft (e.g. C-17, C-130 or KC-135) from their normal operations to meet Urgent and Priority patient needs when local alternatives are infeasible. An alternative to the current system would be having a centralized "bed-down" location for AE operations that would house …


An Examination Of Statistical Rigor Infused Into The Kc-46 Flight Test Program, Sean C. Ritter Mar 2013

An Examination Of Statistical Rigor Infused Into The Kc-46 Flight Test Program, Sean C. Ritter

Theses and Dissertations

The KC-46 program is bringing on-line the replacement aircraft for the KC-135. Although not a new development program, but rather a modification program, there are extensive plans for the flight testing of the KC-46. Recent DoD emphasis mandates the use of statistical design principles for DoD test and evaluation. This project will examine the planned flight test program for KC-46 and reconsider components of that program based on principles of statistical rigor. Of particular focus will be the reliability and maintainability aspects of the flight test program. Current methodology assumes a constant failure rate in all situations, implying that the …


Development Of Peptide Nanotube-Modified Biosensors For Gas-Phase Organophosphate Detection, Peter A . Baker Mar 2013

Development Of Peptide Nanotube-Modified Biosensors For Gas-Phase Organophosphate Detection, Peter A . Baker

Theses and Dissertations

Vapor-phase detection of the model organophosphate malathion was achieved using enzymes encapsulated in peptide nanotubes and attached to gold screen-printed electrodes. Malathion was chosen as the model for this experiment because its binding mechanism with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is identical to its more potent counterparts (such as sarin or VX), but it has an extremely low human toxicity, which makes it both practical and easy to use. The peptide nanotubes had horseradish peroxidase encapsulated inside and were coated with both acetylthiocholine (ASCh) and AChE on the outside. ASCh hydrolysis, which produces thiocholine, was catalyzed by the AChE. The thiocholine was then …


Pseudolite Architecture And Performance Analysis For The Faa's Nextgen Airspace, Joseph A . Czabaranek Mar 2013

Pseudolite Architecture And Performance Analysis For The Faa's Nextgen Airspace, Joseph A . Czabaranek

Theses and Dissertations

By 2025 the FAA plans to have fully implemented its NextGen Airspace design. NextGen takes advantage of modern positioning technologies as well as automation, data sharing, and display technologies that will allow more efficient use of our ever busier National Airspace (NAS). A key element of NextGen is the transition from surveillance RADAR providing aircraft separation and navigation to the use of the GPS and Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B). ADS-B couples the precision of the GPS with networked ground and airborne receivers to provide precise situational awareness to pilots and controllers. The result is increased safety, capacity, and access …


An Analysis Of Factors That Influence The Success Of Expeditionary Civil Engineer Hub-And-Spoke Organizations, Joshua A . Hager Mar 2013

An Analysis Of Factors That Influence The Success Of Expeditionary Civil Engineer Hub-And-Spoke Organizations, Joshua A . Hager

Theses and Dissertations

Expeditionary Air Force Civil Engineer support to recent operations in southwest Asia created a unique organizational learning environment, particularly related supporting the general engineering requirements of geographically separated units in a manpower-constrained contingency environment. One of the direct results of this organizational learning was the hub-and-spoke expeditionary engineer unit featuring elements of both RED HORSE and Prime BEEF capabilities operating with theater-wide visibility of infrastructure requirements. This study acquired insights from literature and a purposeful sample of subject matter experts about operational advantages this hub-and-spoke unit offered compared to those offered by strictly legacy organizational models. The research used a …


Investigation Into Risk And Uncertainty: Identifying Coefficient Of Variation Benchmarks For Air Force Acat I Programs, Shaun T. Carney Mar 2013

Investigation Into Risk And Uncertainty: Identifying Coefficient Of Variation Benchmarks For Air Force Acat I Programs, Shaun T. Carney

Theses and Dissertations

Previous DoD cost growth studies found typical cost growth in defense acquisitions is around forty-six to sixty percent of the original estimate. The research in this study addresses the identification of risk and uncertainty benchmarks by providing decision makers with coefficient of variation ranges for cost estimates. The study recommends coefficient of variation (CV) ranges for Air Force Acquisition programs, determines if different CV ranges should be used based on platform type, and determines if CV decreases over the course of the program's acquisition lifecycle. The analysis found that the Air Force should enhance the CV review process to ensure …


The Moderating Effect Of Network Centrality On The Relationship Between Work Experience Variables And Organizational Commitment, Luke M. Kaspari Mar 2013

The Moderating Effect Of Network Centrality On The Relationship Between Work Experience Variables And Organizational Commitment, Luke M. Kaspari

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to identify the effect of an individual's network position on the relationship between work experience variables and affective commitment. This study tested three hypotheses, which were introduced through a comprehensive literature review, regarding the relationships between work experience variables and affective commitment. Research has indicated linkages between social network centrality and organizational commitment; however, the specific effects of centrality remain unclear. Therefore, this research developed and tested a moderation model to identify relationships between network centrality, affective commitment, and three work experience variables: psychological empowerment (PE), leader-member exchange (LMX), and perceived organizational support (POS). …


Successfully Implementing Net-Zero Engergy Policy Through The Air Force Military Construction Program, D. Gavin Brost Mar 2013

Successfully Implementing Net-Zero Engergy Policy Through The Air Force Military Construction Program, D. Gavin Brost

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. Government has issued numerous policies aimed at reducing federal facility energy consumption; the most recent, Executive Order 13514, requires that new construction designed after 2020 can achieve net-zero energy by 2030. The policy defines a Zero-Energy Building as one that is designed, constructed, and operated to reduce energy demand to a level which can be offset from sources of renewable energy. This research develops and evaluates a feasibility assessment model based on life-cycle cost. It incorporates geospatial analysis to calculate and summarize input values for all Air Force installations in the Contiguous U.S. A comparative analysis is then …


An Analysis Of Cost Premiums And Losses Associated With Usaf Military Construction (Milcon), Daniel L. Blomberg Mar 2013

An Analysis Of Cost Premiums And Losses Associated With Usaf Military Construction (Milcon), Daniel L. Blomberg

Theses and Dissertations

Military construction (MILCON) represents 40% of the federal government's $30 billion construction budget. The federal budget is fixed; therefore, any cost overages likely affect project scope or requirements. This study investigated if MILCON procurement costs more than private industry construction and if so, what causes the cost premiums. A combination of in-depth literature review, expert interviews, a unique case study, expert surveys, and geospatial statistical analysis answered the research question. The case study evaluated two nearly identical projects to determine how internal factors affect MILCON cost premiums. This study confirmed the existence of MILCON cost premiums. Additionally, 11 major cost …


The Future Of Mobile Information And Communication Technology In Austere Environments: A Command And Control Technology Integration Perspective, James W. Harker Mar 2013

The Future Of Mobile Information And Communication Technology In Austere Environments: A Command And Control Technology Integration Perspective, James W. Harker

Theses and Dissertations

The information and communications technology (ICT) field is undergoing a period of tremendous and rapid change. As ICT develops more rapidly, the United States Air Force needs to remain responsive and adaptive to maintain military advantages. The need to integrate ICT developments sooner than our adversaries prompted an assessment of guidelines evaluating how well the AF is doctrinally positioned from a Command and Control perspective to support integration of emerging ICT. A Delphi Study was commissioned by the 689th CCW to forecast the future of mobile Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in austere environments. Using the ICT forecast data as …


Influence Of Media Size And Flow Rate On The Transport Of Silver Nanoparticles In Saturated Porous Media: Laboratory Experiments And Modeling, Travis J. Meidinger Mar 2013

Influence Of Media Size And Flow Rate On The Transport Of Silver Nanoparticles In Saturated Porous Media: Laboratory Experiments And Modeling, Travis J. Meidinger

Theses and Dissertations

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely produced and used. Because of their potential toxicity and the possibility of their release into the environment, it is important to understand the factors involved in their transport; particularly how they may move in groundwater, which is a potential pathway to human and environmental receptors. By passing a solution of 15 mg/L AgNPs with an average size of 17 nm through sand-filled glass columns, this study looks at the physical effects of flow rate and media size on transport. Three different sand sizes ( 0.074, 0.21-0.297, and 0.4-2.0mm) were used, as well as two different …


An Evaluation Of The Organizational Structure Of Air Force Emergency Operations Centers Using Social Network Analysis And Design Structure Matrices, John W. Marshall Mar 2013

An Evaluation Of The Organizational Structure Of Air Force Emergency Operations Centers Using Social Network Analysis And Design Structure Matrices, John W. Marshall

Theses and Dissertations

The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 demonstrated that the United States' emergency response capability, while robust, was disorganized in that organizations were not prepared or equipped to coordinate response actions across multiple agencies at a national level. This research investigates whether NIMS and the AFIMS structure is optimal for Air Force emergency managers, or whether, while maintaining NIMS compliance, there is a more effective way for the Air Force to organize its emergency management and response forces. Specifically this research focuses on the organization of the EOC and investigates whether shifting from the current structure of the ESFs to …


Biodegradation Of An Organophosphate Chemical Warfare Agent Simulant By Activated Sludge With Varying Solid Retention Times, Allen K. Janeczko Mar 2013

Biodegradation Of An Organophosphate Chemical Warfare Agent Simulant By Activated Sludge With Varying Solid Retention Times, Allen K. Janeczko

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the fate of malathion, a surrogate compound for VX studies, in bench-scale sequencing batch bioreactors being operated under varied solid retention times (SRTs) to simulate the activated sludge process in wastewater treatment facilities. Results show that a constant influent of the malathion will largely be removed. However, the heterotrophic bacteria undergo a stress response which temporarily inhibits malathion removal, the extent of which increases with increasing SRTs. After this stress response takes place, the activated sludge is able to resume a high degree of malathion removal, even with increased influent concentration; however, this is done so at …


Using Value-Focused Thinking As An Alternative Means Of Opportunity Assessment For Strategic Sourcing Applications, Andrew R. Myers Mar 2013

Using Value-Focused Thinking As An Alternative Means Of Opportunity Assessment For Strategic Sourcing Applications, Andrew R. Myers

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, the Federal Government has attempted to utilize strategic sourcing to reduce acquisitions expenses. Currently accepted best practices for strategic sourcing developed in the private sector fail to account for the diverse and unique set of objectives present in public sector acquisitions. Value Focused Thinking was used to develop a hierarchy of values and objectives for the Air Force Civil Engineer Commodity Council (CECC) strategic sourcing program. This hierarchy represents the full range of program objectives, and was used to develop a value function useful for systematically evaluating service and commodity contract areas for strategic sourcing potential.


Using Geographic Information Systems To Evaluate Energy Initiatives In Austere Environments, D. Jason Murley Mar 2013

Using Geographic Information Systems To Evaluate Energy Initiatives In Austere Environments, D. Jason Murley

Theses and Dissertations

Organizations that operate in austere environments at the end of long logistics chains face significant energy challenges which often represent financial and security vulnerabilities. Reducing fuel consumption in these operations causes a proportional fuel reduction throughout the supply system as the need for transportation of fuel is reduced. Accordingly, the total fuel reduction across the supply system should be considered to capture the fully burdened cost savings when conducting economic analysis of energy reduction initiatives. This research examined the energy savings potential of improving the thermal properties of expeditionary shelters, and then evaluated these measures using a fully burdened cost …


Identifying System Patterns To Resolve Challenges In The Test And Evaluation Operation, Daniel K. Mutunga Mar 2013

Identifying System Patterns To Resolve Challenges In The Test And Evaluation Operation, Daniel K. Mutunga

Theses and Dissertations

This research focuses on identification and description of patterns used in Test and Evaluation (T&E) operations. Patterns are defined as named and well-known problem/solution pairs that can be applied in new contexts, with advice on how to apply it in a novel situations and discussion of its trade-offs, implementations, and variations. They have a well established and used in software engineering, but have only recently been considered for systems engineering. In the Department of Defense (DOD), T&E is required for all acquisitions prior to transitioning into operations. As identified and described in this thesis, each of the patterns fits in …


Case Study Analysis Of Trust And Commitment Between The Civil Engineering Commodity Council And The Civil Engineering Career Field, Jonnathan B. Page Mar 2013

Case Study Analysis Of Trust And Commitment Between The Civil Engineering Commodity Council And The Civil Engineering Career Field, Jonnathan B. Page

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force is pursuing strategic sourcing as a strategy for reducing costs of goods and services to help meet budget reductions while still performing its mission. These commodities are sourced through a number of commodity councils, each of which whom interact with their stakeholders throughout the sourcing process for that specific commodity. This research identifies factors that influence the success or failure of the sourcing process from the perspective of the Civil Engineering Commodity Council (CECC) and attempts to organize these factors within a framework built around trust and its effect on commitment and cooperation. These factors were identified …


The Use Of Multi-Criteria Evaluation And Network Analysis In The Area Development Planning Process, Peeter E. Pleake-Tamm Mar 2013

The Use Of Multi-Criteria Evaluation And Network Analysis In The Area Development Planning Process, Peeter E. Pleake-Tamm

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to develop improvements to the area development planning process. These plans are used to improve operations within an installation sub-section by altering the physical layout of facilities. One methodology was developed based on apply network analysis concepts to the generation of alternative facility layouts. A second methodology was developed using multi-criteria evaluation to the selection of evaluated alternative facility layouts. The results of this study are two methodological processes that can be executed at base level requiring minimal additional information. The functional network map, based in network analysis, increases the use of socio-economic data …


Supplementary Computer Generated Cueing To Enhance Air Traffic Controller Efficiency, Laurienne Cibelle Rodrigues De Assis Santana Mar 2013

Supplementary Computer Generated Cueing To Enhance Air Traffic Controller Efficiency, Laurienne Cibelle Rodrigues De Assis Santana

Theses and Dissertations

Air traffic controllers are often required to simultaneously communicate with several aircraft over multiple radio frequencies. As a result, during peak loading, it is common for the controller to receive multiple concurrent communications, each from a different aircraft, making it difficult to discern audio messages received from multiple pilots simultaneously. To address this problem, a modified air traffic control (ATC) interface was prototyped with the goal of increasing controller-to-pilot communication efficiency. This prototype included supplementary text cueing which was provided by a hypothetical automated text to speech system in an on-screen text box for controller reference in the event of …


Development Of Autonomous Optimal Cooperative Control In Relay Rover Configured Small Unmanned Aerial Systems, Timothy J. Shuck Mar 2013

Development Of Autonomous Optimal Cooperative Control In Relay Rover Configured Small Unmanned Aerial Systems, Timothy J. Shuck

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis documents the research effort to develop, integrate and implement the system hardware and the software necessary to validate the Air Force Institute of Technology's theoretical advances in small unmanned aerial systems (SUAS) cooperative control. The end state objective of the research effort was to flight test an autonomous control algorithm on a communication relay unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that was actively relaying data to and from a rover UAV. The relay UAV is one part of a SUAS designed to utilize cooperative control to extend the effective line-of-sight operating range for a rover UAV. An algorithm is integrated …


Evaluating The Effect Of Integrated System Health Management On Mission Effectiveness, Sarah E. Storm Mar 2013

Evaluating The Effect Of Integrated System Health Management On Mission Effectiveness, Sarah E. Storm

Theses and Dissertations

This research used systems architecture to develop a model that determined the effect of Integrated System Health Management (ISHM) on mission success rates for unmanned aerial systems (UAS). To evaluate this effect, a simulation model was developed and used to analyze the difference between mission success rates for a theoretical UAS with and without ISHM. Design of Experiments analysis techniques were used to map a response surface that modeled the difference between mission success rates calculated for current health management technology and ISHM. Using representative data for a UAS, the analysis determined that the failure distribution parameters, sensor quality (which …


Fate Of Malathion In An Activated Sludge Municipal Wastewater Treatment System, Edward B. Walters Mar 2013

Fate Of Malathion In An Activated Sludge Municipal Wastewater Treatment System, Edward B. Walters

Theses and Dissertations

Organophosphate compounds are used as pesticides and in chemical warfare agents such as nerve agents. VX (O-ethyl S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl] methylphosphonothioate) is one of the most toxic and environmentally persistent of these nerve agents. This research examined the fate of malathion, a pesticide and surrogate of VX (O-ethyl S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl] methylphosphonothioate), in bench-scale activated sludge (AS) sequencing batch reactors. Sorption kinetics and sorption equilibrium isotherm experiments indicate that sorption to AS biomass was not a statistically important removal mechanism. However, approximately 90% of the initial 4.25 mg L-1 malathion concentration degraded primarily via heterotrophic activity.


An Investigation And Analysis Of The Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex In A Vibration Environment, Daniel J. Uribe Mar 2013

An Investigation And Analysis Of The Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex In A Vibration Environment, Daniel J. Uribe

Theses and Dissertations

Forty years of innovations have greatly improved Helmet-Mounted Displays (HMDs) and their integration into military systems. However, a significant issue with HMDs is the effect of vibration and the associated Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (VOR). When a human’s head is subject to low-frequency vibration, the VOR stabilizes the eye with respect to objects in the external environment. However, this response is inappropriate in HMDs as the display moves with the user’s head and the VOR blurs the image as it is projected on the human retina. Current compensation techniques suggest increasing the size of displayed graphics or text to compensate for the …


Calibration And Extension Of A Discrete Event Operations Simulation Modeling Multiple Un-Manned Aerial Vehicles Controlled By A Single Operator, Jonathan W. Welborn Mar 2013

Calibration And Extension Of A Discrete Event Operations Simulation Modeling Multiple Un-Manned Aerial Vehicles Controlled By A Single Operator, Jonathan W. Welborn

Theses and Dissertations

This research improved a simulation that models a single operator responsible for multiple UAV rovers. The improvement calibrated the model by increasing the realism of its expected time that the target will be within the field of view of a UAV's camera and how much of that will be observed by an operator that has multiple tasks to perform throughout the mission. The calibration was derived from multiple flight tests, by using a Field of View Algorithm in MATLAB and by visually recording times for loiter loops by hand. It was determined that the target will be within the field …


Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Ip Hopping Via An Address Routing Gateway, Ryan A . Morehart Mar 2013

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Ip Hopping Via An Address Routing Gateway, Ryan A . Morehart

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the viability of using Internet Protocol (IP) address hopping in front of a network as a defensive measure. This research presents a custom gateway-based IP hopping solution called Address Routing Gateway (ARG) that acts as a transparent IP address hopping gateway. This thesis tests the overall stability of ARG, the accuracy of its classifications, the maximum throughput it can support, and the maximum rate at which it can change IPs and still communicate reliably. This research is accomplished on a physical test network with nodes representing the types of hosts found on a typical, corporate-style network. Direct …


A Study Of Dim Object Detection For The Space Surveillance Telescope, Stephen D. Maksim Mar 2013

A Study Of Dim Object Detection For The Space Surveillance Telescope, Stephen D. Maksim

Theses and Dissertations

Current methods of dim object detection for space surveillance make use of a Gaussian log-likelihood-ratio-test-based detector that only considers the probability that a single point in an image resulted from the propagation of a point source through space. This paper proposes the application of a correlating Gaussian log-likelihood-ratio-test-based detector, which makes use of all the pixels in the window, to the arena of dim object detection. The requirements for comparing these detectors using the same threshold of detection are established. The performance of the detectors is compared using images taken by the Space Surveillance Telescope in New Mexico of a …


The Miniaturization Of The Afit Random Noise Radar, Aaron T. Myers Mar 2013

The Miniaturization Of The Afit Random Noise Radar, Aaron T. Myers

Theses and Dissertations

Advances in technology and signal processing techniques have opened the door to using an UWB random noise waveform for radar imaging. This unique, low probability of intercept waveform has piqued the interest of the U.S. DoD as well as law enforcement and intelligence agencies alike. While AFIT's noise radar has made significant progress, the current architecture needs to be redesigned to meet the space constraints and power limitations of an aerial platform. This research effort is AFIT's first attempt at RNR miniaturization and centers on two primary objectives: 1) identifying a signal processor that is compact, energy efficient, and capable …


Modeling Cyber Situational Awareness Through Data Fusion, Evan L. Raulerson Mar 2013

Modeling Cyber Situational Awareness Through Data Fusion, Evan L. Raulerson

Theses and Dissertations

Cyber attacks are compromising networks faster than administrators can respond. Network defenders are unable to become oriented with these attacks, determine the potential impacts, and assess the damages in a timely manner. Since the observations of network sensors are normally disjointed, analysis of the data is overwhelming and time is not spent efficiently. Automation in defending cyber networks requires a level of reasoning for adequate response. Current automated systems are mostly limited to scripted responses. Better defense tools are required. This research develops a framework that aggregates data from heterogeneous network sensors. The collected data is correlated into a single …


Detection Optimization Of The Progressive Multi-Channel Correlation Algorithm Used In Infrasound Nuclear Treaty Monitoring, Anthony M. Runco Mar 2013

Detection Optimization Of The Progressive Multi-Channel Correlation Algorithm Used In Infrasound Nuclear Treaty Monitoring, Anthony M. Runco

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis develops methods to determine optimum detection thresholds for the Progressive Multi-Channel Correlation (PMCC) algorithm used by the International Data Centre (IDC) to perform infrasound station-level nuclear-event detection. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis is used with real ground truth data to determine the trade-off between the probability of detection (P sub D) and the false alarm rate (FAR) at various consistency detection thresholds. Further, statistical detection theory via maximum a posteriori and Bayes cost approaches is used to determine station-level optimum family size thresholds of grouped detection pixels with similar signal attributes (i.e. trace velocity, azimuth, time of …


Characterization And Dynamic Analysis Of Long-Cavity Multi-Section Gain-Levered Quantum-Dot Lasers, John R. Schmidt Mar 2013

Characterization And Dynamic Analysis Of Long-Cavity Multi-Section Gain-Levered Quantum-Dot Lasers, John R. Schmidt

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the impact of different device architectures on the frequency response of long-cavity multi-section quantum-dot lasers. This work focused on a novel 8.3-mm multi-section quantum-dot device which possessed the flexibility to be configured either as a single- or multi-section device having gain-to-modulation section ratios of 14:2 and 15:1. The long-cavity device design facilitated the testing of increased gain-to-modulation section length ratios previously unexplored in the context of the gain-lever effect. The investigation of the gain-lever effect showed improvements to both the modulation efficiency and modulation bandwidth of the device under test. The modulation efficiency and modulation bandwidth were …