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Air Force Institute of Technology

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Articles 31 - 60 of 144

Full-Text Articles in Management and Operations

Flightline Simulation Model Of A Squadron, Huseyin Mert Sep 2018

Flightline Simulation Model Of A Squadron, Huseyin Mert

Theses and Dissertations

Military flight training is a long and costly process. Ensuring that the training aircraft are ready for flight is critical in processing pilots through training courses on schedule. Maintaining a high mission capable rate for training aircraft requires scheduled periodic maintenance and maintenance between sorties. Aircraft Ground Equipment (AGE) is used to service each aircraft to make it ready for the following flight. Having a sufficient amount of AGE available is critical, as cancelling or delaying sorties due to lack of AGE generally has a significant impact on the training schedule. This work analyzes the AGE support equipment used in …


Analyzing Operating And Support Costs For Air Force Aircraft, Scott C. Hewitson, Jonathan D. Ritschel, Edward D. White, Gregory Brown May 2018

Analyzing Operating And Support Costs For Air Force Aircraft, Scott C. Hewitson, Jonathan D. Ritschel, Edward D. White, Gregory Brown

Faculty Publications

Purpose: Recent legislation resulted in an elevation of operating and support (O&S) costs’ relative importance for decision-making in Department of Defense programs. However, a lack of research in O&S hinders a cost analyst’s abilities to provide accurate sustainment estimates. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to investigate when Air Force aircraft O&S costs stabilize and to what degree. Next, a parametric O&S model is developed to predict median O&S costs for use as a new tool for cost analyst practitioners.
Design/Methodology/Approach: Utilizing the Air Force total ownership cost database, 44 programs consisting of 765 observations from 1996 to 2016 …


Managing Supply Discrepancies: The Effect Of Performance Measurement And Feedback On Order Fulfillment Quality, Michael J. Weber Mar 2018

Managing Supply Discrepancies: The Effect Of Performance Measurement And Feedback On Order Fulfillment Quality, Michael J. Weber

Theses and Dissertations

Extensive research on the impact of shipping and packaging errors in the private sector finds numerous negative outcomes, including reduced customer satisfaction, reduced customer loyalty, and lower profitability. However, little research has been done examining the impact of order fulfillment errors on military operations. The purpose of this research is to quantify the impact of supply discrepancy reports (SDRs) on military aircraft readiness metrics, including cannibalizations, not mission capable supply (NMCS) hours, aircraft availability and MICAP hours. Results show SDRs significantly impact aircraft readiness metrics in seven of the fifteen analyses conducted. Additionally, a quasi-experimental study is implemented at DLA …


United States Air Force Applications Of Unmanned Aerial Systems: Modernizing Airfield Damage Assessment, Samuel M. Clark Mar 2018

United States Air Force Applications Of Unmanned Aerial Systems: Modernizing Airfield Damage Assessment, Samuel M. Clark

Theses and Dissertations

Modernizing airfield damage assessment has long been a priority mission at the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC). Previously, AFCEC has made advances to expedite unexploded ordnance (UXO) neutralization and pavement repair. Missing from these initiatives is the initial assessment component. This thesis expands the idea of using Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUAS), applies it to the Air Force mission, and provides SUAS vehicle configuration and sensor recommendations. In this study, 25 civil engineer officers reviewed airfield imagery gathered using two small air vehicles. For the first review, participants attempted to identify UXOs and foreign object debris (FOD) in a …


Flightline Heroics And The Façade Of A Healthy Common Support Equipment Fleet, Benjamin D. Bobic Mar 2018

Flightline Heroics And The Façade Of A Healthy Common Support Equipment Fleet, Benjamin D. Bobic

Theses and Dissertations

Access to serviceable support equipment enables aircraft maintenance crews the ability to efficiently keep assigned aircraft safe and mission capable. Current Air Force policy does not require formal management and enterprise fleet health reporting of serialized support equipment. As such, articulating funding requirements to replace equipment has been a challenge for equipment managers. To better articulate support equipment requirements, equipment managers need quantifiable support equipment data. A previous study examined the relationship between aircraft availability and support equipment availability. While finding no significant correlation, the author identifies the practices of "Frankensteining" and "Beg-Borrow-Steal" as possible reasons for the absence of …


An Analysis Of Aircraft Operating And Support Cost Element Structures, Garrett B. O'Hanlon Mar 2018

An Analysis Of Aircraft Operating And Support Cost Element Structures, Garrett B. O'Hanlon

Theses and Dissertations

As the cost of DoD Weapon Systems continue to increase, the ability to more accurately predict the Operating and Support (O&S) costs for the various weapon systems has become more vital for long run affordability. The investigation into the O&S arena has been overshadowed by the research and development (R&D) and acquisition fields. This research focuses on the O&S portion of the total life cycle costs, specifically the OSD-CAPE Cost Element Structure (CES) elements and sub-elements. The research investigates seven categories of 52 aircrafts and their cost expenditures within the CES from the years 1996-2016. The first portion of the …


Load Planning Processes To Enhance Cargo Compartment Utilization, Nathan J. Carlson, Adam D. Reiman, Robert E. Overstreet, Matthew A. Douglas Nov 2017

Load Planning Processes To Enhance Cargo Compartment Utilization, Nathan J. Carlson, Adam D. Reiman, Robert E. Overstreet, Matthew A. Douglas

Faculty Publications

Purpose: The United States Air Force often provides effective airlift for cargo distribution, but is at times inefficient. This paper aims to address the under-utilization of military airlift cargo compartments that plagues the airlift system.
Design/methodology/approach: The authors examine seven techniques designed to increase cargo compartment utilization and increase airlift utilization rates. The techniques were applied through load planning software to 30 real-world movements consisting of 159 sorties. They then ran each post-technique movement through a modeled flight environment to obtain cycle movement data. The metrics gained from both the load planning software and the modeled environment were regressed to …


The Myth Of Strategic And Tactical Airlift, Jacob D. Maywald, Adam D. Reiman, Alan A. Johnson, Robert E. Overstreet Apr 2017

The Myth Of Strategic And Tactical Airlift, Jacob D. Maywald, Adam D. Reiman, Alan A. Johnson, Robert E. Overstreet

Faculty Publications

In the 21st century, our ability to quickly and decisively deliver combat forces and equipment is of the utmost importance in achieving our national security objectives. The swiftness and flexibility of the US Air Force’s mobility airlift fleet is the key to executing a rapid global mobility strategy. The operational effectiveness and efficiency of military air transportation relies on the expertise and intuition of Air Mobility Command’s (AMC) mobility planners. Working in coordination with the United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) and geographic combatant commands (GCC), AMC is responsible for the tasking and tracking of almost 900 daily mobility sorties worldwide. …


Common Support Equipment And Its Impact On Aircraft Availability, Jason M. Leighton Mar 2017

Common Support Equipment And Its Impact On Aircraft Availability, Jason M. Leighton

Theses and Dissertations

The ability of military aircraft maintenance personnel to prepare aircraft for flight depends not only on the technical ability and availability of replacement parts, but also on access to serviceable support equipment. While the general relationship between support equipment failures and aircraft availability is understood, the struggle to quantify that relationship makes targeted support equipment replacement or quantity authorization increases difficult. Tight budgets and aging equipment further complicate the task of keeping serviceable support equipment assets in the hands of maintainers. We identify key pieces of support equipment which may affect aircraft availability and other metrics and investigate the associated …


Global Command And Control For The Future Operating Concept: Implications For Structural Design And Information, Ian M. Slazinik, Benjamin T. Hazen Jan 2017

Global Command And Control For The Future Operating Concept: Implications For Structural Design And Information, Ian M. Slazinik, Benjamin T. Hazen

Faculty Publications

Due to increasing demands on air mobility aircraft, US Transportation Command(USTRANSCOM) has more recently advocated retaining operational control (OPCON)of aircraft it might have transferred to a requesting combatant command in the past. This recent approach mirrors that of similar-type civilian logistics operations that are centrally managed to maximize efficiencies by flowing resources to the point of need without having to navigate through time-consuming sourcing processes. Furthermore, the acceleration of information availability has condensed decision timelines and changed how similar civilian organizations organize and perform, allowing them to react seemingly on a dime to changing market conditions anywhere.4While retaining OPCON might …


Simulation Of Aircraft Sortie Generation Under An Autonomic Logistics System, Gunduz Bingol Dec 2016

Simulation Of Aircraft Sortie Generation Under An Autonomic Logistics System, Gunduz Bingol

Theses and Dissertations

Parallel to the developments in diagnostic and prognostic technology, autonomic logistics systems (ALS) have been a potential improvement for the aircraft sortie generation process. Currently, Lockheed Martin and the Joint Program Office are developing a new autonomic logistics system for the multibillion F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighter project, which is named the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS). Generally, researchers make an analogy between the ALS and the human bodys autonomic nervous system since both of them monitor, control, and adjust autonomic responses to external stimuli. Based on this perspective, ALS aims to switch the Air Force logistics mentality from a …


Applying Lean To The Ac-130 Maintenance Process For The Royal Saudi Air Force, Fisal A. Alzahrani Sep 2016

Applying Lean To The Ac-130 Maintenance Process For The Royal Saudi Air Force, Fisal A. Alzahrani

Theses and Dissertations

The ideas expressed in this research come from the researchers experiences working in the AC-130 maintenance squadron in the Royal Saudi Air Force. The AC-130 maintenance process is not currently being used as effectively as it could be to make AC-130 fully mission capable. That can be done by improving communication, reducing distances needed to move or transport anything during the maintenance process and by efficient use of the available qualified workforces, tools and equipment. Consideration is given to applying an existing management technique to the Royal Saudi Air Forces AC-130 Maintenance Squadrons. The selected technique is the Lean management …


Air Mobility Future: Evolving Command And Control Relationships In The Information Age, Ian M. Slazinik Jun 2016

Air Mobility Future: Evolving Command And Control Relationships In The Information Age, Ian M. Slazinik

Theses and Dissertations

This research paper analyzes information flow through theater Air Mobility Command and Control (C2) organizations. The purpose is to uncover guidelines going forward to adapt organizational structure and processes to increase the speed and reach of information. These guidelines could assist with improving organizational agility and decision making while adapting to future trends in the broader C2 enterprise. To collect data, the researcher conducted interviews with seventeen C2 experts with experience at various levels of C2, from worldwide to theater Air Mobility C2 organizations, from Air Mobility C2 leadership, to experts in non-mobility C2 divisions. Interview subjects shared their perceptions …


Effects Of Automation On Aircrew Workload And Situation Awareness In Tactical Airlift Missions, David R. Meyer Dec 2015

Effects Of Automation On Aircrew Workload And Situation Awareness In Tactical Airlift Missions, David R. Meyer

Theses and Dissertations

In tactical aviation, decision superiority brought upon by high situation awareness remains the arbiter of combat effectiveness. The advancement of sophisticated avionics and highly automated cockpits has allowed for the reduction of aircrew size, and in certain platforms, removal of the crew from the aircraft entirely. However, these developments have not reduced the complex and dynamic interaction between situation awareness and crew workload. While many predictive and experimental methods of evaluating workload exist, situation awareness can only be measured by conducting trials with human operators in a functional prototype. This thesis proposes an innovative methodology to predicatively determine situation awareness …


Applying Lean To The F-15 Maintenance Process For The Royal Saudi Air Force, Mohammad Alamri Mar 2014

Applying Lean To The F-15 Maintenance Process For The Royal Saudi Air Force, Mohammad Alamri

Theses and Dissertations

The thesis was about applying lean to the F-15 maintenance process in Royal Saudi Air Force. The researcher collected the data by using several questionnaires. Researcher used external lean expert recommendation to avoid bias, the F-15 maintenance process improved theoretically.


Development Of Availability And Sustainability Spares Optimization Models For Aircraft Reparables, Edmund K. W. Pek Sep 2013

Development Of Availability And Sustainability Spares Optimization Models For Aircraft Reparables, Edmund K. W. Pek

Theses and Dissertations

The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) conducts Logistics Support Analysis (LSA) studies in various engineering and logistics efforts on the myriad of weapon systems. In these studies, inventory spares provisioning, availability and sustainability analyses are key focus areas to ensure asset sustenance. In particular, OPUS10, a commercial-off-the-shelf software, is extensively used to conduct reparable spares optimization in acquisition programs. However, it is limited in its ability to conduct availability and sustainability analyses of time-varying operational demands, crucial in Operations & Support (O&S) and contingency planning. As the RSAF seeks force structure expansion to include more sophisticated weapon systems, the …


Improving Knowledge Of C-130 Aircraft Condition: A High Velocity Maintenance Case Study, Marcus R. Mcwilliams Mar 2012

Improving Knowledge Of C-130 Aircraft Condition: A High Velocity Maintenance Case Study, Marcus R. Mcwilliams

Theses and Dissertations

High Velocity Maintenance (HVM) seems poised to revolutionize the way the Air Force schedules and performs depot-level maintenance on its aircraft. The four tenets of HVM -- Known Condition of the Aircraft, Supportability, Daily Standard Work, and High Burn Rate -- provide the basis for the Air Force's Air Logistics Centers (ALCs) to improve the quality of planning and scheduling that goes into each aircraft's depot maintenance visit. These tenets have been implemented at Warner Robins ALC as part of the C-130 depot maintenance process. While HVM is in active implementation there, much remains to be documented on how the …


Tanker Fuel Consolidation: Effects Of Higher Fidelity Modeling On A Resilient Plan, Jason A. Larimore Mar 2012

Tanker Fuel Consolidation: Effects Of Higher Fidelity Modeling On A Resilient Plan, Jason A. Larimore

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) has selected the KC-46 to begin replacing the aged KC-135 fleet. One of the major differences between the KC-46 and the KC-135 is the KC-46's ability to be refueled. This allows for tanker fuel consolidation, or the refueling of one tanker by another. The effects of this capability on the efficiency of tanker operations must be quantified and included in determining an appropriate substitution ratio between the two aircraft. This ratio will be used to plan the retirement of KC-135s as the KC-46 enters operational fielding. This study utilizes simulation to determine the efficiencies gained …


Maintenance Operations Degradation Of Airfield Pavement Markings, John C. Jaszkowiak Mar 2012

Maintenance Operations Degradation Of Airfield Pavement Markings, John C. Jaszkowiak

Theses and Dissertations

Pavement markings are an essential element in the navigational aids subsystem for any airfield. Most airfields still use waterborne paint as the primary marking material, although there are other materials in use on roadways that airfield managers could use to save time and money. An airfield experiences a host of maintenance operations that cause degradation of the pavement markings. Of particular concern are rubber removal operations, sweeping operations, and snowplowing operations. This research focuses on chemical rubber removal operations and sweeping operations. The study evaluates waterborne paint markings and thermoplastic marking strips to determine if these marking materials perform differently …


Composite Aircraft Life Cycle Cost Estimating Model, Daniel B. Lambert Mar 2011

Composite Aircraft Life Cycle Cost Estimating Model, Daniel B. Lambert

Theses and Dissertations

Composite materials are beginning to comprise a greater percentage of structural materials used throughout aircraft production. The increased usage of composites has led individuals within the Air Force community to revisit aircraft life cycle cost, LCC, models. A series of affordability initiatives has culminated in significant evidence over the last decade to better quantify the impact of primarily composite structures in aircraft. The Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft, ACCA, a research effort sponsored by the Air Force Research Lab, attempted to determine the impact of part size and large scale composite components on LCC for cargo aircraft. This research evaluates the …


Simulation Modeling And Analysis Of Tnmcs For The B-1 Strategic Bomber, Carl R. Parson Jun 2010

Simulation Modeling And Analysis Of Tnmcs For The B-1 Strategic Bomber, Carl R. Parson

Theses and Dissertations

Simulation provides a method of modeling complex systems which would otherwise be impractical for quantitative experimentation. While other analytic techniques have been used to explore Total Non-Mission Capable [due to] Supply (TNMCS) rates, simulation offers a novel approach to discovering what aspects of the supply chain impact this metric. This research develops a discrete event simulation to investigate factors which affect TNMCS rates for the B-1B by modeling the core processes within the Air Force (AF) supply chain. A notional fleet of 16 aircraft at a single air base (Ellsworth AFB, SD) is modeled based on historical supply and maintenance …


Cyber This, Cyber That...So What?, Eric D. Trias, Bryan Bell Apr 2010

Cyber This, Cyber That...So What?, Eric D. Trias, Bryan Bell

Faculty Publications

This article endorses the idea that cyber operations may be conducted in all war-fighting domains: air, space, cyberspace, land, and sea. In addition, despite the immaturity of cyberspace operational doctrines, the doctrines from air and space remain relevant and applicable to the cyberspace domain. Cyber operations are just another set of tools in the commander's toolbox. Although cyber operations have distinct ways of achieving effects, from an Air Force perspective they are similar too the air and space operations that support air and space (and cyberspace) functions. Known and established cyber operations provide war fighters with viable options to kinetic …


An Exploration Of The Effects Of Maintenance Manning On Combat Mission Readiness Utilizing Agent Based Modeling, Adam S. Mackenzie Mar 2010

An Exploration Of The Effects Of Maintenance Manning On Combat Mission Readiness Utilizing Agent Based Modeling, Adam S. Mackenzie

Theses and Dissertations

Agent based models have been shown to be powerful tools in describing processes and systems centered on individual behaviors and local interactions (i.e. “bottom-up”) between specific entities. Current application areas tend to be focused within the business and social science arenas, although their usefulness has been demonstrated in the modeling of various chemistry and physics-based systems. Conversely, many highly process-oriented systems, such as manufacturing environments, tend to be modeled via “top-down” methods, including discrete or continuous event simulations among others. As a result, potentially critical attributes of the entities or resources modeled with these methods (spatial properties, “learning curve” or …


Simulation Analysis Of High Velocity Maintenance For The B-1b, Anson R. Park Mar 2010

Simulation Analysis Of High Velocity Maintenance For The B-1b, Anson R. Park

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the impact that High Velocity Maintenance (HVM) will have on aircraft availability rates for the B-1B by examining the proposed changes to the field maintenance and supply processes for the two B-1B squadrons of the 28th Bombardment Wing located at Ellsworth AFB, SD. There is a significant restructuring of depot level maintenance planned with the implementation of HVM, and the impact that this will have on base-level operations is important to determine, for it will provide insight as to whether or not HVM will be a feasible program with a high probability of successfully improving B-1B aircraft …


An Advanced Tabu Search Approach To Solving The Mixed Payload Airlift Load Planning Problem, Robert Larry Nance Mar 2009

An Advanced Tabu Search Approach To Solving The Mixed Payload Airlift Load Planning Problem, Robert Larry Nance

Theses and Dissertations

This paper presents a new tabu search based two-dimensional bin packing algorithm which produces high quality solutions to the Mixed Payload Airlift Load Planning (MPALP) problem using C-5 and C-17 aircraft. This algorithm, called Mixed Payload Airlift Load Planning Tabu Search (MPALPTS), surpasses previous research conducted in this area because, in addition to pure pallet cargo loads, MPALPTS can accommodate rolling stock cargo (i.e. tanks, trucks, HMMMVs, etc.) while still maintaining aircraft feasibility with respect to aircraft center of balance, mandatory cargo separations, aircraft floor structural limitations, etc. Furthermore, while this research is currently restricted to C-5 and C-17 aircraft, …


Assessing Structural Health Monitoring Alternatives Utilizing A Value-Focused Thinking Model, Margaret A. Barker, Fatih S. Gurbuz, Jeremy A. Schroeder Mar 2009

Assessing Structural Health Monitoring Alternatives Utilizing A Value-Focused Thinking Model, Margaret A. Barker, Fatih S. Gurbuz, Jeremy A. Schroeder

Theses and Dissertations

Current Air Force operations are undergoing significant changes necessitated by increasing fiscal constraints, increasing aircraft age, and recent drawdown in personnel to perform maintenance, repair, and other necessary functions. In order to deal with these challenges, the Air Force must effectively improve current operations. This paper explores potential structural health monitoring (SHM) solutions to some of the challenges facing aircraft maintenance and repair operations. As with any problem, a variety of solutions exist and this paper explores the potential solutions and limitations of various options. Aircraft SHM is an intriguing concept with potential capability to revolutionize current Air Force maintenance …


Maximizing Warfighter Capability Using Surveyed Necessity Measurement: Application To The Usaf F-15c Fleet, John M. Colombi, David R. Jacques, Dennis D. Strouble Dec 2008

Maximizing Warfighter Capability Using Surveyed Necessity Measurement: Application To The Usaf F-15c Fleet, John M. Colombi, David R. Jacques, Dennis D. Strouble

Faculty Publications

Within the Department of Defense, with changing missions to counter dynamic and asymmetrical threats, the acquisition workforce strives to maximize capability for joint warfighting. How acquisition professionals measure and select capability improvements for the nation’s weapon systems is a perpetual challenge, made even more complex with constrained defense budgets. This study identifies a method for determining which upgrades should be purchased (production) for which aircraft in the F- 15C fleet by optimizing a capability proxy measure. Each upgrade’s “necessity” for a given mission area was obtained by conducting a survey of over 250 experienced F-15C pilots. The solution presented in …


Simulated Multi-Echelon Readiness-Based Inventory Leveling With Lateral Resupply, Todd C. Burnworth Mar 2008

Simulated Multi-Echelon Readiness-Based Inventory Leveling With Lateral Resupply, Todd C. Burnworth

Theses and Dissertations

For the past fifty years, U.S. Air Force reparable inventory has been allocated based on an analytic model developed by Dr. Craig C. Sherbrooke. Although versions of his model can be implemented easily with the help of a computer, the analytic approach fundamentally lacks the flexibility to address numerous logistics issues. This body of research will offer a novel alternative approach that will enable researchers to investigate currently unsolved logistics problems such as quantifying the benefits of lateral resupply.


Robust Aircraft Squadron Scheduling In The Face Of Absenteeism, Osman Bahadir Gokcen Mar 2008

Robust Aircraft Squadron Scheduling In The Face Of Absenteeism, Osman Bahadir Gokcen

Theses and Dissertations

Air Force fighter aircraft squadrons the world over share a unique problem. Each requires complex training schedules coupling aircraft to pilots, the duo to missions and airspaces, and then the entire combination to a feasible time slot. Creating daily and weekly flight schedules that include shifts around the clock every day of the year with a set number of pilots is a time consuming job for manual schedulers within a squadron. Complicating matters is absenteeism. If one or more pilots are unable to perform their previously assigned tasks, due to sickness, aircraft failure, or reassignment, those tasks must be performed …


Air Mobility Command's En Route Support Infrastructure: A Construct Of Aircraft Type And Geographic Location Utilized To Assess En Route Aircraft Logistics Support, Robert D. Polomsky Jun 2007

Air Mobility Command's En Route Support Infrastructure: A Construct Of Aircraft Type And Geographic Location Utilized To Assess En Route Aircraft Logistics Support, Robert D. Polomsky

Theses and Dissertations

The ability of the United States Armed Forces to maintain a global presence and rapidly project military power anywhere in the world are key factors in preserving our freedom. To accomplish the demanding task of global reach support, Air Mobility Command employs an en route support infrastructure. These en route locations provide varying levels of command, control, and communications (C3), logistics support, and aerial port functions. The goal of the en route is to minimize delays for AMC mission aircraft. However, these en route locations comprise a small percentage of the locations that AMC aircraft visit. Given the critical demand …