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Articles 571 - 600 of 1284
Full-Text Articles in Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering
Interface Evaluation For Open System Architectures, Joshua A. Burger
Interface Evaluation For Open System Architectures, Joshua A. Burger
Theses and Dissertations
This research develops a deterministic interface evaluation framework (IEF) in support of the principles identified in the Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA). Interface evaluation in weapon system development requires a Decision Analysis (DA) method capable of handling a continuously growing alternative set and functioning with limited availability of senior decision makers. Value Focused Thinking (VFT) is selected as the best method for addressing the parameters of the framework. Inputs from the Medium Altitude Unmanned Aircraft System program office are used. An initial value threshold is established to guide open interface decisions, based on assessments of 15 historical decision scenarios. Open …
Improving The Enterprise Requirements And Acquisition Model's Development Test And Evaluation Process Fidelity, Jason W. Sutherlin
Improving The Enterprise Requirements And Acquisition Model's Development Test And Evaluation Process Fidelity, Jason W. Sutherlin
Theses and Dissertations
Shrinking budgets and dynamic military conflicts have driven Department of Defense (DoD) leadership to reform how the military acquires weapon systems with the goal of decreasing program schedules and costs, while maximizing performance. With fifty years of reform, the DoD has been unable to adequately control program schedule objectives. Previous research attempted to support acquisition reforms through modeling and simulation. The Enterprise Requirements and Acquisition Model (ERAM) captures a program's progression through the Defense Acquisition Management System to gain insight into significant delays that impact program schedule and probability of completion. A past unexpected result included the insignificant impact that …
Enhanced Vehicle Beddown Approximations For The Improved Theater Distribution Model, Jonathan D. White
Enhanced Vehicle Beddown Approximations For The Improved Theater Distribution Model, Jonathan D. White
Theses and Dissertations
Gathering insight into the theater distribution process can be a complex task, especially when estimating potential beddown solutions. Coming up with a low cost feasible mixture of cargo vehicles that will support distribution of military personnel and goods within theater is currently a high priority for force flow analysts at USTRANSCOM. In the past, analysts used a trial and error simulation process that was iterative and time consuming. Recent research has produced the Improved Theater Distribution Model (ITDM), which presents a less time consuming, more precise method to estimate beddown allocations. Improving on this research, two linear programming methods were …
Dispatch, Delivery, And Location Logistics For The Aeromedical Evacuation Of Time-Sensitive Military Casualties Under Uncertainty, Benjamin Grannan
Dispatch, Delivery, And Location Logistics For The Aeromedical Evacuation Of Time-Sensitive Military Casualties Under Uncertainty, Benjamin Grannan
Theses and Dissertations
Effective aeromedical evacuation of casualties is one of the most important problems in military medical systems because high-priority casualties will not survive without timely medical care. The decision making process for aeromedical evacuation consists of the following components: (1) identifying which aeromedical evacuation asset (see figure 1) to dispatch to the casualty, (2) locating aeromedical evacuation assets strategically in anticipation of incoming demand, and (3) deciding which medical treatment facility to transport the casualty. These decisions are further complicated because prioritization of casualties is based on severity of injury while aeromedical evacuation assets and medical treatment facilities operate with varying …
Modeling Reliability Growth In Accelerated Stress Testing, Jason K. Freels
Modeling Reliability Growth In Accelerated Stress Testing, Jason K. Freels
Theses and Dissertations
Qualitative accelerated test methods improve system reliability by identifying and removing initial design flaws. However, schedule and cost constraints often preclude sufficient testing to generate a meaningful reliability estimate from the data obtained in these tests. In this dissertation a modified accelerated life test is proposed to assess the likelihood of attaining a reliability requirement based on tests of early system prototypes. Assuming each prototype contains an unknown number of independent competing failure modes whose respective times to occurrence are governed by a distinct Weibull law, the observed failure data from this qualitative test are shown to follow a poly-Weibull …
Construction, Analysis, And Data-Driven Augmentation Of Supersaturated Designs, Alex J. Gutman
Construction, Analysis, And Data-Driven Augmentation Of Supersaturated Designs, Alex J. Gutman
Theses and Dissertations
Screening designs are used in the early stages of industrial and computer experiments to find the most important input factors affecting a system's output. They provide an economical way to remove unimportant factors from further, potentially costly, experimentation. However, when an experiment has a large number of control factors and limited number of available runs, it is infeasible to run a traditional screening design. In these situations, experimenters can use supersaturated designs. A supersaturated design is a fractional factorial design that can screen a set of k factors in n runs, where k is greater than n -1. Unfortunately, they …
Development Of Availability And Sustainability Spares Optimization Models For Aircraft Reparables, Edmund K. W. Pek
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 …
Space Debris Mitigation Conops Development, Earl B. Alejandro
Space Debris Mitigation Conops Development, Earl B. Alejandro
Theses and Dissertations
Space debris remains an unsolved hazard for space operators and astronomers alike. Passive debris mitigation techniques have been enumerated and codified by the UNCOPUOS and IADC and several proposals for actively mitigating space debris have been presented. However, the space debris problem requires reframing. On the way to developing a viable CONOPS, a multi-disciplinary construct for building solution sets to tackle the space debris problem must be created. It must be shaped by building blocks of active and passive debris mitigation techniques, debris characterization and law. Central considerations must be taken. First, targeting of space debris for removal must be …
Operational Planning Of Channel Airlift Missions Using Forecasted Demand, Taylor J. Leonard
Operational Planning Of Channel Airlift Missions Using Forecasted Demand, Taylor J. Leonard
Theses and Dissertations
Past research proposed that it is possible to forecast cargo demand using time series models and that there exists potential cost savings in the way that Civilian Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) is used for cargo airlift. United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) performs annual fixed-buys of CRAF to support airlift needs. Forecasted cargo demand would allow for reasonably accurate cargo projections vs. the current expected value estimation. Accurate forecasting allows for greater fixed-buys, further incentivizing CRAF airlines as well as reducing the number of additional aircraft purchases during the quarterly and monthly buys. Multiple forecasting models are constructed and the results …
Evaluating The Effect Of Integrated System Health Management On Mission Effectiveness, Sarah E. Storm
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 …
Urgent Aeromedical Evacuation Network Capacity Planning, Scott C. Finkbeiner
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 …
A Mixed Integer Programming Model For Improving Theater Distribution Force Flow Analysis, Micah J. Hafich
A Mixed Integer Programming Model For Improving Theater Distribution Force Flow Analysis, Micah J. Hafich
Theses and Dissertations
Obtaining insight into potential vehicle mixtures that will support theater distribution, the final leg of military distribution, can be a challenging and time consuming process for United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) force flow analysts. The current process of testing numerous different vehicle mixtures until separate simulation tools demonstrate feasibility is iterative and overly burdensome. Improving on existing research, a mixed integer programming model was developed to allocate specific vehicle types to delivery items, or requirements, in a manner that would minimize both operational costs and late deliveries. This gives insight into the types and amounts of vehicles necessary for feasible …
Control Variates And Optimal Designs In Metamodeling, Joshua B. Meents
Control Variates And Optimal Designs In Metamodeling, Joshua B. Meents
Theses and Dissertations
At the heart of most modeling issues is a focus on variance reduction. Experimental designs are chosen based on both efficiency and a variety of variance based criteria. In many situations due to cost, time and availability issues it is beneficial to produce metamodels of simulations. Experimental designs for the region of operability are constructed to collect the simulation output required to construct representative metamodels. Independently, the method of control variates is a well established technique often employed to reduce variance in discrete event simulations. This thesis explores the variance reduction benefits that can be obtained by combining optimal experimental …
The Use Of Multi-Criteria Evaluation And Network Analysis In The Area Development Planning Process, Peeter E. Pleake-Tamm
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 …
Calibration And Extension Of A Discrete Event Operations Simulation Modeling Multiple Un-Manned Aerial Vehicles Controlled By A Single Operator, Jonathan W. Welborn
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 Courses Of Actions At The Strategic Planning Level, Alhmet Ozdemir
Evaluating Courses Of Actions At The Strategic Planning Level, Alhmet Ozdemir
Theses and Dissertations
Like almost all real life problems, Strategic planning is a good example of a problem with more than one objective. One of the most important steps of strategic planning is to generate and evaluate the courses of actions (COA) which can fulfill the mission and vision of the organization. This is a critical process since it is impractical to start the executed COA over. In this research, value-focused thinking (VFT) is used as a decision analysis tool to assess COAs. A general model is created to select the best COA for strategic planning such as air force operation planning. To …
An Evaluation Of The Organizational Structure Of Air Force Emergency Operations Centers Using Social Network Analysis And Design Structure Matrices, John W. Marshall
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 …
Identifying System Patterns To Resolve Challenges In The Test And Evaluation Operation, Daniel K. Mutunga
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 …
Estimating The Probability Of Being The Best System: A Generalized Method And Nonparametric Hypothesis Test, Aaron M. Lessin
Estimating The Probability Of Being The Best System: A Generalized Method And Nonparametric Hypothesis Test, Aaron M. Lessin
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis provides two new approaches for comparing competing systems. Instead of making comparisons based on long run averages or mean performance, the first paper presents a generalized method for calculating the probability that a single system is the best among all systems in a single trial. Unlike current empirical methods, the generalized method calculates the exact multinomial probability that a single system is best among competing systems. The ability to avoid time consuming empirical estimate techniques could potentially result in significant savings in both time and money when comparing alternate systems. A Monte Carlo simulation is conducted comparing the …
Needed Actions Within Defense Acquisitions Based On A Forecast Of Future Mobile Information And Communications Technologies Deployed In Austere Environments, Andrew T. Soine
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this research was twofold. First, it developed a forecast of future mobile information and communications technologies (ICT) suitable for use by military forces in austere environments in 5-10, 10-20, and beyond 20 years. Secondly, it explored whether or not current acquisitions practices will be adequate to meet the needs of warfighters who depend on mobile ICT. These questions were explored by conducting utilization of the Delphi technique. Eight panelists from within the private sector conducted three rounds of iterative feedback. This research resulted in a technology forecast for the three timeframes aforementioned, and the potential impacts to …
Applying Hyperspectral Imaging To Heart Rate Estimation For Adaptive Automation, Joshua M. Splawn
Applying Hyperspectral Imaging To Heart Rate Estimation For Adaptive Automation, Joshua M. Splawn
Theses and Dissertations
Automation use continues to increase in Air Force systems with the goal of improving operator efficiency and effectiveness. Unfortunately, systems are often complex, potentially imposing increased mental task load on the operator, or placing the operator in a supervisory role where they can become dependent on automation. Adaptive automation is a proposed solution, where automation is triggered when an operator is overloaded, and disabled as the operator is underloaded. Changes in physiological measures have shown promise in triggering automation. Unfortunately heart rate measurement can be obtrusive and impractical in day-to-day operations. This research used the Air Force Multi-Attribute Task Battery …
Using Geographic Information Systems To Evaluate Energy Initiatives In Austere Environments, D. Jason Murley
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 …
Using Value-Focused Thinking As An Alternative Means Of Opportunity Assessment For Strategic Sourcing Applications, Andrew R. Myers
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.
An Investigation And Analysis Of The Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex In A Vibration Environment, Daniel J. Uribe
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 …
An Examination Of Statistical Rigor Infused Into The Kc-46 Flight Test Program, Sean C. Ritter
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 …
The Moderating Effect Of Network Centrality On The Relationship Between Work Experience Variables And Organizational Commitment, Luke M. Kaspari
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). …
Aerial Refueling Simulator Validation Using Operational Experimentation And Response Surface Methods With Time Series Responses, Alexander P. Hillman
Aerial Refueling Simulator Validation Using Operational Experimentation And Response Surface Methods With Time Series Responses, Alexander P. Hillman
Theses and Dissertations
An important program in the Department of Defense is the KC-46 Supertanker. Dubbed the future of the Air Force's aerial refueling inventory, the KC-46 will replace dozens of ailing previous generation tanker aircraft. The Aerial Refueling Airplane Simulator Qualification document governs the methods by which Air Mobility Command validates its simulators, some of which will be KC-46 simulators in the near future. The methodology set forward in this thesis utilizes historical data of aircraft performance from similar air frames to gain statistical insight into the performance design space of the KC-46. Leveraging this insight, the methodology provides through a framework …
Vehicle Minimization For The Multimodal Pickup And Delivery Problem With Time Windows, Benjamin A . Clapp
Vehicle Minimization For The Multimodal Pickup And Delivery Problem With Time Windows, Benjamin A . Clapp
Theses and Dissertations
The algorithm proposed here is used for heuristic solutions for the Multimodal Multiple Vehicle Routing Problem with Unloading Capacity, Pickup and Dropoff, and Time Windows, solved so as to minimize the number of vehicles used, subject to varying objective function values for each vehicle. The MVRP is simplified and split into a routing problem and a scheduling problem. The routing problem is addressed by Dijkstra's Algorithm. This generates a new network for the second stage of the algorithm. It is assumed that the shortest path is the correct path to use, and shipments each travel unimodally. The scheduling problem is …
Modeling The Impact Of The Payload Alert Communications System (Pacs) On The Accuracy Of Conjunction Analysis, Landon B. Bastow
Modeling The Impact Of The Payload Alert Communications System (Pacs) On The Accuracy Of Conjunction Analysis, Landon B. Bastow
Theses and Dissertations
The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) are jointly developing a system known as the Payload Alert Communications System (PACS) whose purpose is to decrease the statistical uncertainty in the location of resident space objects (RSOs). PACS is designed to augment the Joint Space Operations Center's (JSpOC) existing space object tracking capabilities which is expected to increase the accuracy of conjunction estimation. In the current PACS design, a small payload would be attached to certain RSOs prior their launch. It is envisioned that this payload would basically consist of a microcontroller, a Global …
Minimization Of Collateral Damage In Airdrops And Airstrikes, Steven P. Dillenburger
Minimization Of Collateral Damage In Airdrops And Airstrikes, Steven P. Dillenburger
Theses and Dissertations
Collateral damage presents a significant risk during air drops and airstrikes, risking citizens' lives and property, straining the relationship between the United States Air Force and host nations. This dissertation presents a methodology to determine the optimal location for making supply airdrops in order to minimize collateral damage while maintaining a high likelihood of successful recovery. A series of non-linear optimization algorithms is presented along with their relative success in finding the optimal location in the airdrop problem. Additionally, we present a quick algorithm for accurately creating the Pareto frontier in the multi-objective airstrike problem. We demonstrate the effect of …