Tactical Superiority Research Articles

Comparative Strategy Analysis: Battle of Dien Bien Phu 1954 Vs General Attack 1 March 1949 Reflections on The History of Decolonization

The article explores the strategic comparison between the Dien Bien Phu Battle in Vietnam and the General Offensive of 1 March 1949 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, marking crucial points in the struggle against colonialism. It delves into the historical context, military strategies, and impacts of these battles, highlighting their significance in shaping history and decolonization. Both battles shared a striking strategic similarity: using surprise attacks to overcome stronger opponents. Despite occurring in different historical and geographical contexts, both battles showcased the effectiveness of tactical superiority in achieving significant victories and influencing broader political changes, even against seemingly unbeatable opponents. The analysis emphasizes the pivotal role of these battles in ending colonial dominance and accelerating the decolonization process in Vietnam and Indonesia.

A model of asymmetric conflict outcome – Sensitivity to friction and choice of strategy in counterinsurgencies

The article assesses a model predicting outcome in counterinsurgencies based on the counterinsurgent’s exposure to external friction and strategy. Unfavorable opinions, as well as insurgents’ access to third-party support and sanctuaries, constitute sources of external friction. Strategies were categorized as mainly kinetic or population-centric. The model predicts: (1) counterinsurgents lose in contexts with high external friction regardless of strategy; (2) counterinsurgents applying a population-centric strategy win if external friction is low; (3) counterinsurgents applying a purely kinetic strategy win if external friction is low only by obtaining distinct tactical superiority. The model correctly predicted 27 of 30 examined cases.

Importance of disguising groundstrokes in a match between two top tennis players (Federer and Djokovic)

At the elite level in tennis, players tend to “disguise” their stroke intentions, confuse the receiver's judgment, and interfere with their anticipatory response. How frequent and effective disguised strokes are used remains unclear. We tried to answer these questions by analysing performance differences in the two consecutive sets of the match in the 2019 Wimbledon final, played by two tennis greats. Our hypothesis was that by effectively disguising their stroke intention, the hitters in this match could establish tactical superiority. By utilizing frame by frame video analysis, we determined whether each groundstroke was done with disguised intention or not. A disguised stroke was defined as the stroke, whose Initial Stroke Intention (ISI) of the ball direction in the pre-contact phase differed from the actual post-contact trajectory. To judge the ISI, we analysed the hitters’ cues during the pre-contact period, court movement before the loading phase (contextual observation), and body posture during the set-up phase (preparing the body for force generation). To investigate the effectiveness of disguised strokes, we evaluated the receiver's anticipatory movement as well as subsequent point dynamics. Our results show that both players, as hitters, created advantageous point dynamics (APD) (winners or advantage) while as receivers made incorrect anticipatory responses significantly more frequently to the disguised strokes than that of the undisguised strokes. As hypothesized, disguised strokes in the match between two tennis experts can be not only highly unpredictable but also efficient in creating a tactical advantage for the hitter and a disadvantage for the receiver.

Vratna kinestezija kao značajan doprinos u zaštiti posturalne stabilnosti kod taekvondo boraca

Taekwondo fighters require sufficient postural stability to maintain tactical superiority over an opponent. Postural balance is controlled by somatosensory, visual and vestibular system. Cervical spine has neurophysiological connection to the visual and vestibular system as well as abundance of receptors within the connective tissues of the spine. Guard-specific posture in taekwondo requires constant head and neck rotations, therefore deficits in cervical spine could alter the balance. The aim of the study was to study connections between cervical spine kinesthesia and balance in taekwondo specific postural tasks. Sixteen healthy male taekwondo fighters (22 ±1,3 years of age) competing at the national level were enrolled in the study. Postural balance during a single leg stance while facing forward or with 90° of neck torsion using a force plate (Bilateral force plate, S2P, Ljubljana, Slovenia) was assessed. Kinesthetic awareness of cervical spine was measured using a Butterfly test with a NeckCare system (Butterfly Method, NeckCare ehf., Reykjavik, Iceland). Statistically significant correlations were observed for Undershoot standard deviation of the Butterfly test and Neck torsion balance test while standing on the non-dominant leg. These correlations were most prominent for the average amplitude of centre of pressure movement in the medial-lateral direction (r > 0.85) and anterior posterior direction (r > 0,80) Results of this study indicate that taekwondo fighters develop side specific adaptations in the balance control. Increased variability of cervical spine kinesthetic awareness is correlated to an increased average amplitude of medial-lateral body sway while standing on the kick preferred leg. This can lead to higher body oscillations during the fight, decreased stability, prolonged reaction time and quickness. Specific cervical spine training is recommended to improve fighting performance.

ABSORPTION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES WITH VARIOUS WAVELENGTH BY NANOPARTICLES

An aim of the article is to review the potential of nanotechnology in military for the development of stealth technologies. Methods. Analysis of information, synthesis, generalization and comparison. Results. An overview of nanoparticles use in the development of stealth technologies has been made. Foreign and Ukrainian publications were analyzed. The possibility of using nanoparticles of metals like iron, cobalt, nickel, zinc, manganese and other metals and composite nanomaterials for absorption, refraction and scattering of waves of different lengths and frequencies, which can be used in the development of coatings for military equipment to reduce visibility and counter targeting systems has been shown.
 The possibility of using nanoparticles of nonmetals to absorb infrared radiation, which is important for masking equipment, military facilities and personnel, has been highlighted.
 High-tech weapons, technical means of detection and guidance are constantly being modernized and improved. One of the most important conditions for tactical superiority over the enemy is camouflage and counteraction to these systems. One of the ways to increase the resistance to detection and guidance systems is the development of stealth technologies based on nanoparticles of metals and non-metals.
 In the long run, nanotechnology and stealth coating should ensure the invisibility of objects in a wide frequency band of electromagnetic waves, which can reach two to three orders of magnitude. These are ambitious tasks, however, they are real.
 Foreign and domestic scientists have proven the possibility of using nanoparticles of metals and composite materials to develop coatings with the ability to absorb electromagnetic waves in a wide range, which can be used in the development of coatings to counter radar stations and other detection systems.
 Given the significant scientific potential of Ukrainian scientists, presence of technologies needed for the synthesis of nanoparticles of metals and nonmetals of various shapes and sizes, based on previous research on the ability of nanoparticles to absorb waves of different lengths and frequencies, we see high prospects for stealth technologies for the Military Forces of Ukraine.

Assessment of Sea Sickness in Naval Personnel: Incidence and Management.

Background:Strategic, operational and tactical superiority of Navy hinges on extremely efficient warships which in turn depend on professionally competent sailors ready to undertake tasks to deliver timely, structured and metered response. Ships and their potentialities are tools to achieve the required strategic advantage which is dependent on the proficiency of sailors. Sailors who are fit ashore may be debilitated on board because of sea sickness.Aims:To study the incidence and severity of sea sickness among 500 naval personnel from various ships. Setting and design: An observational study conducted from May 2019 to March 2020 among 500 naval personnel from various ships of the fleet.Materials and Methods:Motion Sickness Assessment Questionnaire (MSAQ) was used to collect data from personnel of different departments working in different part of ship aged between 20 to 50 years.Results:The majority suffered mild symptoms (78.78%) and did not require any medication. Their symptoms were selflimiting and settled on rest within 24 hours. Moderately severe symptoms were observed among 19.31 % personnel and had to be administered medication and rest for 24 hours. Only 1.91% had severe symptoms and had to be excused from duties along with medication and rest.Conclusion:Sea sickness is unpleasant and has an adverse effect on employability of the sailors. It is mild and self limiting in majority of the personnel not requiring active intervention. Some personnel may require desensitisation along with pharmacotherapy.

Tiki-taka algorithm: a novel metaheuristic inspired by football playing style

PurposeMetaheuristic algorithms have been commonly used as an optimisation tool in various fields. However, optimisation of real-world problems has become increasingly challenging with to increase in system complexity. This situation has become a pull factor to introduce an efficient metaheuristic. This study aims to propose a novel sport-inspired algorithm based on a football playing style called tiki-taka.Design/methodology/approachThe tiki-taka football style is characterised by short passing, player positioning and maintaining possession. This style aims to dominate the ball possession and defeat opponents using its tactical superiority. The proposed tiki-taka algorithm (TTA) simulates the short passing and player positioning behaviour for optimisation. The algorithm was tested using 19 benchmark functions and five engineering design problems. The performance of the proposed algorithm was compared with 11 other metaheuristics from sport-based, highly cited and recent algorithms.FindingsThe results showed that the TTA is extremely competitive, ranking first and second on 84% of benchmark problems. The proposed algorithm performs best in two engineering design problems and ranks second in the three remaining problems.Originality/valueThe originality of the proposed algorithm is the short passing strategy that exploits a nearby player to move to a better position.

‘Our shooting was far superior to theirs’: an archaeological investigation of the defence of West Australia Hill during the South African War (1899-1902)

ABSTRACT The defence of West Australia Hill was a day-long encounter between 30 West Australians and 300-400 Boers during the South African War (1899-1902). An archaeological survey to test the applicability of Battlefield Patterning Analysis (PBA: as used on the Battle of Little Big Horn site, Montana, USA) was conducted to determine how the West Australians maintained tactical superiority throughout the encounter. The locations of fired cartridges, artillery artefacts and archival evidence showed that the successful all-day defence was due to good tactical positioning on West Australia Hill and fire discipline, aided by accurate British artillery. Dynamic Patterning, a component of PBA, was developed further by the use of two innovative methods of recording spent ammunition characteristics: off-centredness of firing pin indentations, and marks within firing pin indentations of the fired cartridges. The ammunition finds for both Australian and Boers soldiers demonstrated the application of BPA on 20th century battlefields.

Nondominated Maneuver Strategy Set With Tactical Requirements for a Fighter Against Missiles in a Dogfight

Dogfight is often a continuous and multi-round process with missile attacks. If the fighter only considers the security when evading the incoming missile, it will easily lose the superiority in subsequent air combat. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain as much tactical superiority as possible while ensuring a successful evasion. The amalgamative tactical requirements of achieving multiple evasive objectives in a dogfight are taken into account in this paper. A method of generating a nondominated maneuver strategy set for evading missiles with tactical requirements is proposed. The tactical requirements include higher miss distance, less energy consumption, and higher terminal superiority. Then the evasion problem is defined and reformulated into a multi-objective optimization problem, which is solved by a redesigned multi-objective evolutionary algorithm based on decomposition (MOEA/D). Simulations are used to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the approach. A set of approximate Pareto-optimal solutions satisfying the tactical requirements are obtained. These solutions can not only guide the fighter to avoid being hit but also achieve the goal of relatively reducing energy consumption and improving terminal superiority.

The relationship between personality and performance of football referees

After coaches and athletes, referees are the third side of sporting events. If the judgment is done properly, the result of competition will be determined according to skill and tactical superiority; otherwise, other environmental factors may affect the result of competition. Personality is one of the distinctive aspects of every individual’s life. Personality characteristics predispose an individual to perform various actions in specific situations. Football is one of the most stressful jobs and it seems personality is one the most important factors in Judgment method of referees. This study examines the relationship between extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, openness to experience and performance of referees. The research method used was correlation. All 61 premier League Soccer's Referees (the season 2012-2011) were selected as the study population. Due to the limitation of population, all subjects were considered as the sample. The NEO Personality Inventory (60 items and 5 scales) was used. For collecting the data, researcher visited Tehran’s referees in their training location; questionnaire was sent via e-mail to the referees in other cities. The SPSS software was used for data analysis. Results showed that there was significant relationship between personality dimensions and judgment methods. There was a positive relationship between flexibility and judgment quality. Also, the present study showed there was not significant relationship between neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness and judgment quality.

Domains of Quality-Based Strategies: A Functional Perspective

ABSTRACT Quality plays a critical role in acquiring and sustaining a competitive advantage. Yet, minimal attention has been paid to the role that the functional level plays in the strategic implementation of quality. We provide an initial examination of this functional process by delineating the meanings which marketing executives attach to quality corporate strategies. Through content analysis, we provide seven thematic descriptions of quality-based strategies, forming three primary domains: quality as corporate philosophy, tactical superiority, and customer-centered endeavors. Converging this qualitative inquiry with quantitative analysis, we identify positive implications for functional and organizational performance.

Aerodynamic aspects of aircraft dynamics at high angles of attack

Introduction T achieve tactical superiority in the air, a fighter aircraft must be capable of high-performance maneuvers. To perform such maneuvers, the aircraft must be able to carry out controlled flight at high angles of attack. To safely predict and analyze such flight conditions, our understanding of the aerodynamics of aircraft at high angles of attack (high a) may require further improvements. In the context of this review, the aerodynamic phenomena at high a. will be discussed mainly from the point of view of their impact on stability parameters of an aircraft. Adequate knowledge of these parameters is required for the prediction of an aircraft's behavior before departure, for the description of its departure/spin-resistance characteristics, and for the difficult analysis of the flight range between the departure and the fully developed spin, if such an analysis is required. Stability parameters are needed also for the assessment of the tracking capabilities of an aircraft, for the efficient design of the control system, and for the evaluation of the range of maneuvers that can safely be induced by the pilot. Such maneuvers at high angles of attack are not only relevant in situations involving air combat and missile avoidance actions, but may also be necessary during certain phases of the landing approach.

Thomas Paine's Plan for a Descent on England

T HOMAS Paine is not generally considered a military or naval strategist. Yet during the last period of his residence in France, I792I802, he developed a scheme for the invasion of England which he attempted to impose upon the French government. On behalf of his project Paine published fervent articles in the French press. He drew up a formal plan of action-based on a supposed tactical superiority of small boats, carrying eighty men, to large ships-of-the-line-which he showed to the American minister to France, James Monroe, and then transmitted to the Directory. Later, in i805, he supported Jefferson's proposals for gunboats for the United States Navy, and in i807, when it appeared that New York City might be attacked by the British navy, Paine revamped his old arguments concerning gunboats-revising his assessment of their defensive use-and published them in the New York press. After his release in November I794 from Luxembourg prison, where he had been incarcerated by Robespierre for political reasons, Paine lived with Monroe for eighteen months. In order to have complete liberty to publish on political subjects without embarrassing his host-an officer of the United States government-he felt obliged to find other lodgings.' Late in the summer of I797 he took up residence with the philosopherpublisher and kindred humanitarian, Nicolas de Bonneville. His host, in addition to publishing a number of Paine's deistical and republican books, edited a daily newspaper, le Bien Informe', which Paine utilized to convey his views on current affairs. Paine's political activities in France were extensive. Elected to the French Convention, he served as a member before and after his imprisonment. In Paris, as formerly in Philadelphia, Paine was unable to resist the