A FORMULATION OF GROUND COMBAT MISSIONS IN MATHEMATICAL PROGRAMMING FORM

Abstract

Abstract : An attempt to develop general methods for measuring cost and effectiveness implications of adding automatic data processing to command control systems for ground combat required the development of techniques for marginal-effectiveness analysis. One necessary step for such analysis was the formulation of ground combat missions to permit measurement of marginal mission performance. Examination of typical combat missions identifies three dimensions: resources, time, and area controlled by a military force. Typical missions are related to a closed continuum of tactical postures ordered on the basis of relative potential energy and movement rate. Three classes of increasingly severe constraints are identified and associated with decreasing potential energy. Two objective functions are identified: maximization of rate of advance for high-energy postures and minimization of rate of resource expenditure for low-energy postures. The quantifiability of the three dimensions of mission space is examined, and difficulties in aggregating different classes of resources and terrain of varying tactical value are recognized. A measure for assessing the degree of control over an area by a military force is postulated and tested in a simple mathematical model. Relating the performance of a mix of military missions to combat effectiveness is discussed.