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Articles 361 - 390 of 602
Full-Text Articles in Operational Research
A Methodology For Simulating The Joint Strike Fighter's Prognostics And Health Management System, Michael E. Malley
A Methodology For Simulating The Joint Strike Fighter's Prognostics And Health Management System, Michael E. Malley
Theses and Dissertations
The Autonomic Logistics System Simulation (ALSim) model was developed to provide decision makers a tool to make informed decisions regarding the Joint Strike Fighter's (JSF) Autonomic Logistics System (ALS). The ALS provides real-time maintenance information to ground maintenance crews, supply depots, and air planners to efficiently manage the availability of JSF aircraft. This thesis effort focuses on developing a methodology to model the Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) component of ALS. The PHM component of JSF monitors the aircraft status. To develop a PHM methodology to use in ALSim a neural network approach is used. Notional JSF prognostic signals were …
Forecasting Readiness: Using Regression To Predict The Mission Capability Of Air Force F-16 Fighter Aircraft, Steven A. Oliver
Forecasting Readiness: Using Regression To Predict The Mission Capability Of Air Force F-16 Fighter Aircraft, Steven A. Oliver
Theses and Dissertations
According to many, the readiness of America's forces deteriorated in the 1990s. In the Air Force, the combat readiness of its fighter aircraft has declined. One of its indicators of combat readiness, the mission capable rate, is used to identify the percentage of aircraft unable to perform their missions. From FY94-FY98, the aggregate total not mission capable rate for maintenance steadily increased from 14% to 18.2% while total not mission capable rate for supply increased from 5.5% to 17.5% between FY86 and FY00. The USAF uses the funding/Availability Multi-Method Allocator for Spares model to forecast these rates for its aircraft. …
Identification Of Critical Roles Of Program Managers And Contracting Officers, Daniel R. Shingledecker
Identification Of Critical Roles Of Program Managers And Contracting Officers, Daniel R. Shingledecker
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this research was to identify current disagreement among acquisition professionals in regards to their role and authority; and to identify benefits and risks associated with combining program management and contracting officer roles into a single position. The research questions were answered through a literature review and use of the Delphi technique. The literature review indicated that the DoD has been operating with multiple conflicting perceptions of authority among its key acquisition professionals. The literature also identified the need for complex organizations, such as DoD acquisition offices, to pair high levels of responsibility with equally high levels of …
A Verification And Validation Assessment Of Rapid Availability Prototyping For Testing Operational Readiness, Gurhan Tarman
A Verification And Validation Assessment Of Rapid Availability Prototyping For Testing Operational Readiness, Gurhan Tarman
Theses and Dissertations
Throughout the world, new techniques are developed to test and evaluate systems. The Department of Defense and the US Air Force conduct numerous studies into the reliability and maintainability of current and future weapons systems in an effort to understand the reliability, maintainability, and availability (RM&A) costs of these systems. Furthermore, they must verify RM&A characteristics of systems, which are still in the development phase. The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center (AFOTEC) is responsible for testing new equipment to ensure their RM&A characteristics meet specifications. Rapid Availability Prototyping for Testing Operational Readiness (RAPTOR) is the software tool developed …
Minimum Distance Estimation For Time Series Analysis With Little Data, Hakan Tekin
Minimum Distance Estimation For Time Series Analysis With Little Data, Hakan Tekin
Theses and Dissertations
Minimum distance estimate is a statistical parameter estimate technique that selects model parameters that minimize a good-of-fit statistic. Minimum distance estimation has been demonstrated better standard approaches, including maximum likelihood estimators and least squares, in estimating statistical distribution parameters with very small data sets. This research applies minimum distance estimation to the task of making time series predictions with very few historical observations. In a Monte Carlo analysis, we test a variety of distance measures and report the results based on many different criteria. Our analysis tests the robustness of the approach by testing its ability to make predictions when …
A Reactive Tabu Search Metaheuristic Extension Of The Air Refueling Tanker Assignment Problem, Umit Hilmi Tekelioglu
A Reactive Tabu Search Metaheuristic Extension Of The Air Refueling Tanker Assignment Problem, Umit Hilmi Tekelioglu
Theses and Dissertations
The Combined Mating and Ranging Planning System (CMARPS) is the system used by AMC to schedule air refueling for deployments from the continental U.S. to other parts of the world. The tool developed by Capehart (2000) got results similar to CMARPS in less time. Capehart's tool allows AMC to input several receiver groups consisting of various aircraft types and numbers. Each receiver group contains a point of origin and destination, with the option of providing one waypoint along the path, a ready to load date (RLD) and required delivery date (RDD). The user is also able to specify the locations …
An Analysis Of Total System Performance Responsibility In Air Force Acquisitions, Christopher P. White
An Analysis Of Total System Performance Responsibility In Air Force Acquisitions, Christopher P. White
Theses and Dissertations
This research examined how well the goals and objectives of total system performance responsibility (TSPR) are being met. The research was sparked by the rise of implementing TSPR as an element of an acquisition strategy in many weapon and information systems. Acquisition professionals use TSPR to decrease total ownership cost, improve system performance, and optimize public-private support capabilities while maintaining operational flexibility. However, while the number of programs that use or plan to implement TSPR or some form of contractor support and sustainment continues to increase, little research has been conducted concerning the effectiveness of TSPR as an element of …
Identifying Demand Indicators For Air Force Recruiting Service With Discriminant Analysis, Jason L. Williams
Identifying Demand Indicators For Air Force Recruiting Service With Discriminant Analysis, Jason L. Williams
Theses and Dissertations
A changing public disposition towards military service has all four military branches rethinking recruiting practices. This Air Force is reacting to this new recruiting climate by increasing the bonuses for new recruits, pumping up advertising budgets, and bolstering recruiting personnel levels. This thesis provides a new tool for assessing how to allocate these new resources. Discriminant Analysis is used to identify population characteristics that categorize recruiting locations. A methodology is constructed that can discriminate between communities where interest is high in military service and where recruiting efforts will not be productive.
Technology Selection For Enhancing F-16 Capability: An Analysis Using Value Focused Thinking, Cihangir Yay
Technology Selection For Enhancing F-16 Capability: An Analysis Using Value Focused Thinking, Cihangir Yay
Theses and Dissertations
This study, with support of the Aeronautical Systems center, builds a scientific decision support system intended for Air Combat Command. Past decision-making techniques are discussed and their limitations are explained. Two multiattribute decision-making techniques, analytical hierarch process and value focused thinking, are studied. Due to limitations of analytical hierarchy process, value focused thinking is accepted as the best fit for our problem. A value hierarchy model is developed using value focused thinking for selecting the most beneficiary F-16 engine modifications depending on Air Combat Command values. Ten modifications are ranked using value model to validate the process. Cost is involved …
Computer-Based Methods For Constructing Two-Level Fractional-Factorial Experimental Designs With A Requirement Set, Steven L. Forsythe
Computer-Based Methods For Constructing Two-Level Fractional-Factorial Experimental Designs With A Requirement Set, Steven L. Forsythe
Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation developed four methodologies for computer-aided experimental design of two-level fractional factorial designs with requirement sets (DOE/RS). The requirement sets identify all the experimental factors and the appropriate interaction terms to be evaluated in the experiment. Taguchi graphs and similar manual methods provide techniques for solving the DOE/RS problem. Unfortunately, these methods are limited because they become difficult to use as the number of factors or interaction terms exceeds ten. This research showed that the DOE/RS problem belongs to a class of difficult-to-solve problems known as NP-Complete. It is the combinatorial nature of NP-Complete problems that causes them to …
Estimating Budget Relationships With A Leontief Input-Output Model, Guenever L. R. Shariff
Estimating Budget Relationships With A Leontief Input-Output Model, Guenever L. R. Shariff
Theses and Dissertations
Forty years ago, the Office of the Secretary of Defense proposed using the Leontief input-output model to assess tradeoffs in the Department of Defense's (DoD) budget. We demonstrate that the Leontief input-output model can assess tradeoffs in the Air Force's budget. To increase one part of the Air Force's budget, we need to know the interrelationships between that budget area and the other areas. In this research, we look at different methods of how the functional areas might interact. We demonstrate our methodology on two data sets - DoD and the Air Force aggregate budget data. By looking at how …
Using Rsm, Doe, And Linear Regression To Develop A Metamodel To Predict Cargo Delivery Of A Time Phase Force Deployment Document, Kenneth S. Browne
Using Rsm, Doe, And Linear Regression To Develop A Metamodel To Predict Cargo Delivery Of A Time Phase Force Deployment Document, Kenneth S. Browne
Theses and Dissertations
Air Mobility Command (AMC) uses the Airlift Flow Model as their primary tool to estimate the amount of cargo delivered in a Time Phase Force Deployment Document (TPFDD). The primary objective of this research was an exploratory investigation in the development of a metamodel to predict the amount of cargo delivered from a TPFDD by AMC into a theater. In creating a valid metamodel the analyst would be able to quickly provide the decision-maker with accurate insights should input parameters change. This would save valuable time and replace the need to physically change the input parameters and re-run the simulation. …
A Tabu Search Metaheuristic For The Air Refueling Tanker Assignment Problem, Shay R. Capehart
A Tabu Search Metaheuristic For The Air Refueling Tanker Assignment Problem, Shay R. Capehart
Theses and Dissertations
In a joint effort between Air Mobility Command (AMC) and the Air Force Institute of Technology, we present a Tanker Assignment Problem (TAP) Tool capable of providing tanker mission plans for deployment scenarios. Due to the complex nature of extracting a mission plan from the Combined Mating and Ranging Planning System (CMARPS), AMC requires a tool to provide similar results in a simpler and less time consuming manner. The tool developed allows AMC to input several receiver groups consisting of various aircraft types and numbers. Each receiver group contains a point of origin and destination, with the option of providing …
An Incentive Model For International Telecommunications, Jeffrey R. Del Vecchio
An Incentive Model For International Telecommunications, Jeffrey R. Del Vecchio
Theses and Dissertations
This study developed a new defensive model for global voice communications. It uses a n-person, zero-sum, cooperative and non-cooperative game to optimize the coalitions revenue after the possibility of a network service provider being tampered by an adversary. This research optimized two measures of effectiveness (coalition revenue and network provider revenue) of international telecommunications coalitions by hardening network service providers and improving their respective revenue with incentives. A multi-criteria optimization problem was developed to establish the strategic competition between the coalition defender and attacker. Irrespective of the amount of incentives, a applicable hardening and tampering strategy can be obtained. All …
A Java Universal Vehicle Router In Support Of Routing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Robert W. Harder
A Java Universal Vehicle Router In Support Of Routing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Robert W. Harder
Theses and Dissertations
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) help the military gather information in times of peace and war. During a mission, typically 100 sites or more, a UAV will frequently be re-tasked to visit a pop-up threat, leaving the operator to determine the best way to finish the day's list of sites after the re-tasking. I develop a prototype application to serve the needs of a specific customer, the 11th Reconnaissance Squadron, by helping them preplan missions and dynamically re-task UAVs. This prototype application is built on a reusable airframe router called the core AFIT Router, which can later be added to more …
Toward Validating Vertical Aggregation In Object Oriented Simulation, George W. Johnson Jr.
Toward Validating Vertical Aggregation In Object Oriented Simulation, George W. Johnson Jr.
Theses and Dissertations
Recent interest in studying the nonlinear effects of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance in combat models has prompted researchers to employ vertical aggregation in object-oriented simulations. Traditional horizontal aggregation falls short for its inability to provide accurate means for nonlinear functions. Averaging a group of objects that exhibit nonlinear behavior provides a linear approximation to the mean, which is not necessarily the expected value of the underlying nonlinear function. Vertical aggregation explicitly models individual objects, thus preserving their nonlinear behaviors. In this research, a validation procedure is derived to study the aptness of vertical aggregation methods. Validation is carried out by …
A Hybrid Jump Search And Tabu Search Metaheuristic For The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (Uav) Routing Problem, Gary W. Kinney Jr.
A Hybrid Jump Search And Tabu Search Metaheuristic For The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (Uav) Routing Problem, Gary W. Kinney Jr.
Theses and Dissertations
In this research, we provide a new meta-heuristic, a jump search I tabu search hybrid, for addressing the vehicle routing problem with real-life constraints. A tour construction heuristic creates candidate solutions or jump points for the problem. A tabu search algorithm uses these jump points as starting points for a guided local search. We provide statistical analysis on the performance of our algorithm and compare it to other published algorithms. Our algorithm provides solutions within 10% of the best known solutions to benchmark problems and does so in a fraction of the time required by competing algorithms. The timeliness of …
Using Simulation To Model An Army Recruiting Station With Seasonality Effects, David C. Longhorn
Using Simulation To Model An Army Recruiting Station With Seasonality Effects, David C. Longhorn
Theses and Dissertations
One of the toughest jobs in the Army is that of the recruiter. Recruiters are tasked with the awesome job of convincing young men and women to lay down their lives and freedoms for their country, and oftentimes for less money than can be earned in the safer environment of America's booming economy. Recruiters face enormous pressure from commanders to meet the mandated Army manning levels set each year by Congress. As the Army begins the 21st century, it is faced with having to support an increasing number of deployments with fewer soldiers. Soldiers face long and difficult days with …
A Validation Assessment Of The Storm Air-To-Air Prototype Algorithm, David M. Pugh
A Validation Assessment Of The Storm Air-To-Air Prototype Algorithm, David M. Pugh
Theses and Dissertations
A validation assessment of the new STORM air-to-air prototype algorithm is accomplished using structural and output validation techniques. In the structural validation phase, the algorithms, code, and assumptions are evaluated to determine if the implementation of the model will match the intent of the designers. The components of the algorithm are compared to its predecessor, THUNDER, to evaluate if the prototype nnproves upon the weaknesses of THUNDER. In the output validation phase, the results of the model are evaluated to determine the extent to which the implementation of the model matches expected outcomes. Sensitivity analysis is presented to provide insight …
Leontief Metamodeling For Military Strategic Effects, Anthony W. Snodgrass
Leontief Metamodeling For Military Strategic Effects, Anthony W. Snodgrass
Theses and Dissertations
In this research, we propose and demonstrate an approach to incorporate currently un-modeled interactions into an existing or a new combat model or simulation. We apply the Leontief Input-Output model, which is a macro-economic model that measures the interactions between major industrial sectors of an economy, as a metamodel that periodically assesses the status of various combat units and support functions. If needed resources are insufficient, appropriate degrades are input into the combat model. As a result, dependencies that are not in the combat model are incorporated. Hence, we can assess the strategic or cascading effects of destroying a set …
Simulation Evaluation Of The Combat Value Of A Standoff Precision Airdrop Capability, Michael W. Varner
Simulation Evaluation Of The Combat Value Of A Standoff Precision Airdrop Capability, Michael W. Varner
Theses and Dissertations
This project is a simulation evaluation of the developmental standoff precision airdrop (SOPAD) capability. SOPAD is a new technology under consideration to deliver supplies to forward-deployed units using either a semi-rigid wing or a guided parafoil. These delivery systems allow airdrop of supplies from altitudes of 25,000 feet and distances 25 miles from the delivery point. Using global positioning system guidance, on board navigational computers, and automatic steering mechanisms, the delivery system flies to the target following a designated flight plan. The concept includes delivering supplies to remote and potentially hostile areas without endangering the supply aircraft. In addition, supplies …
A Greedy Multiple-Knapsack Heuristic For Solving Air Mobility Command’S Intratheater Airlift Problem, Nicholas J. Zeisler
A Greedy Multiple-Knapsack Heuristic For Solving Air Mobility Command’S Intratheater Airlift Problem, Nicholas J. Zeisler
Theses and Dissertations
This research develops a methodology using a greedy heuristic to solve Air Mobility Command's intratheater airlift scenario as a multiple knapsack problem. The objective is to maximize throughput in a theater given a vehicle mixture and assignment scheme. The model allows for a heterogeneous, user defined vehicle mix in a theater consisting of up to five bed down locations and up to seven forward operating locations. First, we preprocess routes, eliminating the large number of unattractive route choices in the problem. Then using a greedy heuristic, we select routes and assign them to aircraft located at any or all of …
Modeling And Analysis Of Aerial Port Operations, Timothy W. Albrecht
Modeling And Analysis Of Aerial Port Operations, Timothy W. Albrecht
Theses and Dissertations
The focus of this thesis effort is gaining useful insight into aerial port operations by employing an animated simulation. Understanding airfield capacity, resources, and functioning allows greater accuracy and efficiency in both planning for future force structures and matching mobility assets with commanders' objectives. Two current simulations, ACE (Airfield Capacity Estimator) and BRACE (Base Resource Allocation and Capabilities Estimator), model mobility activities at the base level with some deficiencies. The model proposed by this thesis, APOM (Aerial Port Operations Model), will provide the mobility analyst an animated simulation with two, new measures of aerial port operations; a real-time estimate of …
Quality Function Deployment From An Operations Research Perspective, Eve M. Burke
Quality Function Deployment From An Operations Research Perspective, Eve M. Burke
Theses and Dissertations
The methodology of Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is compared to operations analysis standards. Of special concern is how Air Combat Command (ACC) uses QFD for the Modernization Planning Process (MPP). ACC digresses from the traditional use of QFD for incorporating quality into manufacturing processes to use it as a planning tool. ACC's goal in implementing QFD is to incorporate the demands of the Air Force mission into the modernization planning effort. ACC's use of QFD to identify and quantify current deficiencies and quantify the value of alternative future solutions has led to the investigation of inconsistencies with QFD, both generally …
A Comparison Of Genetic Algorithm Parametrization On Synthetic Optimization Problems, Mehmet Eravsar
A Comparison Of Genetic Algorithm Parametrization On Synthetic Optimization Problems, Mehmet Eravsar
Theses and Dissertations
Meta-heuristics have been deployed to solve many hard combinatorial and optimization problems. Parameterization of meta-heuristics is an important challenging aspect of meta-heuristic use since many of the features of these algorithms cannot be explained theoretically. Experiences with Genetic Algorithms (GA) applied to Multidimensional Knapsack Problems (MKP) have shown that this class of algorithm is very sensitive to parameterization. Many studies use standard test problems, which provide a firm basis for study comparisons but ignore the effect of problem correlation structure. This thesis applies GA to MKP. A new random repair operator, which projects infeasible solutions into feasible region, is proposed. …
Pilot Inventory Complex Adaptive System (Picas): An Artificial Life Approach To Managing Pilot Retention, Martin P. Gaupp
Pilot Inventory Complex Adaptive System (Picas): An Artificial Life Approach To Managing Pilot Retention, Martin P. Gaupp
Theses and Dissertations
The retention of skilled pilots continues to be a problem that plagues the United States Air Force. After spending millions of dollars on training and education, it is disheartening to see the mass exodus of experienced aviators from the Air Force that has been occurring in the past decade. Many blame the economy, others the Air Force itself but few are able to accurately predict how or why they are all leaving. The current personnel models do not adequately determine retention rates. Complex adaptive systems theory, however, might provide some insight. By modeling the system at the pilot's level, allowing …
An Approach For Tasking Allocated Combat Resources To Targets, David A. Koewler
An Approach For Tasking Allocated Combat Resources To Targets, David A. Koewler
Theses and Dissertations
Tasking allocated combat aircraft to strike targets is a complicated and time-consuming process for combat planners. Currently, the process of scheduling missions is a two to four day process. To be able to respond quickly to the changing conditions of the battlefield, the military needs to compress the time that this process requires. Despite efforts to develop computer-based tools to automatically plan missions, combat planners still manually perform most of the tasking and scheduling of aircraft and targets. Unfortunately some of the tools currently available are perceived to be complicated and time consuming to use by the planners. They also …
Selection Of Psychophysiological Features Across Subjects For Classifying Workload Using Artificial Neural Networks, Trevor I. Laine
Selection Of Psychophysiological Features Across Subjects For Classifying Workload Using Artificial Neural Networks, Trevor I. Laine
Theses and Dissertations
The issue of pilot workload is important to the United States Air Force because pilot overload or task saturation leads to decreases in mission effectiveness. Additionally, in the most extreme cases, pilot overload may lead to the loss of aircraft and crewmember lives. Current research efforts are utilizing psychophysiological data including electroencephalography (EEG), cardiac, eye-blink, and respiration measures in an attempt to identify workload levels. The primary focus of this effort is to determine if a single parsimonious set of psychophysiological features exists for accurately classifying workload levels between multiple test subjects. To accomplish this objective, the signal-to-noise (SNR) saliency …
Using Simulation To Model The Army Recruiting Station With Multi-Quality Prospects, Edward L. Mclarney
Using Simulation To Model The Army Recruiting Station With Multi-Quality Prospects, Edward L. Mclarney
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis explores the application of simulation to the Army Recruiting Station. Included are the effects of leadership styles and policies, the effects of recruiters with different personality types, and differences in processing for varying types of recruits. Research included heavy emphasis into determining the effects of leadership on recruiter productivity. In addition, major changes were made to a previous simulation model. The changes allowed current research to be implemented into the simulation. This research is intended to help the United States Army Recruiting Command better understand how changes in the recruiting process and in leadership policies affect productivity.
Two-Stage Stochastic Linear Programming With Recourse: A Characterization Of Local Regions Using Response Surface Methodology, David T. Mills
Two-Stage Stochastic Linear Programming With Recourse: A Characterization Of Local Regions Using Response Surface Methodology, David T. Mills
Theses and Dissertations
The LP recourse problem applies to two-stage optimization problems where uncertainty in resource availability of the second stage hinders informed decision making. The recourse function affords a way to compensate "later" for an error in prediction "now." The literature provides a rich body of work on the optimization of such problems, but little research has been accomplished regarding the characterization of the surface in the local region of optimality, in particular sensitivity analysis. A decision maker faced with considerations other than the modeled objective function must be presented with a way to estimate the impact of operating at non-optimal decision …