Multi-criteria analysis applied to aircraft selection by Brazilian Navy

Sérgio Mitihiro Do Nascimento Maêda,Arthur Pinheiro De Araújo Costa,José Victor De Pina Corriça,Carlos Francisco Simões Gomes,Marcos Alexandre Pinto De Castro Junior,Marcos Dos Santos,Luiz Paulo Fávero,Igor Pinheiro De Araújo Costa

doi:10.1590/0103-6513.20210011

Abstract

Abstract Paper aims This paper aims to select the best helicopter to be acquired by the Brazilian Navy (BN), enabling greater logistical and combat capacity in marine operations. For this purpose, we applied the AHP-TOPSIS-2N, a hybrid multicriteria method composed by the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and two normalization procedures (2N). Originality In this paper, a real military case study is conducted to support the decision-making process in BN, contributing to the better performance of the Brazilian Armed Forces. The application of the methodology resulted in two lists of ordering and prioritization of helicopters, providing transparency and simplicity to the decision-making process. Research method We analyzed six aircraft models, considering attack helicopters used by the Armed Forces of developed countries, in the light of their operational and tactical criteria. The selected helicopter would be employed in the fire support and reconnaissance, required by the Brazilian Marine Corps Amphibious Operations. Main findings After the application of the method, the AH-64E APACHE was chosen as the most suitable helicopter to be acquired by the Brazilian Navy. Implications for theory and practice This study brings valuable contribution to academia and society, since it represents the application of a Multi-criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) method in the state of the art to contribute to the solution of a real problem of the BN. The methodology presented in this paper can notably be used to solve real problems of the most varied types – tactical, operational and strategic – thus being a very useful method for decision-making.

Highlights

According to the objectives and guidelines established in the National Defense Policy (NDP) and the National Defense Strategy (NDS), high-level documents that condition the preparation and use of the Armed Forces (AF), the Brazilian Navy (BN) is responsible for the employment of the Naval Power (Marinha do Brasil, 2019)
Mathematical modeling of Multi-criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) runs through four main steps, summarized as follows (Figure 1): structuring; measurement; synthesis of the results obtained by consensus of the three experts; and Sensitivity Analysis, varying the criteria weights according to the individual evaluations of each expert, based on the procedure presented by Oliveira et al (2021)
The results obtained in this paper can support the High Naval Ministry in the decision-making process of a complex problem involving sovereignty and defense of the country

Summary

Introduction

Approved by Decree No 6,703 of December 18, 2008, the National Defense Strategy (NDS), which was updated in 2012, aims to ensure the security of Brazil both in peacetime and in crises, establishing guidelines for the proper preparation and training of the Armed Forces (AF) (Brasil, 2008). The NP guides, in accordance with the NDS, the strategic planning of the Brazilian Navy (BN), whose compliance imposes the availability of marine forces able to act in line with the political-strategic and economic magnitude of Brazil in the international scenario (Marinha do Brasil, 2019).

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Methods

Conclusion