Taxonomy of Advanced Linear Programming Techniques and the Theater Attack Model

摘要

Annual decisions concerning procurement of aircraft, munitions, and spare parts are of enormous interest to senior military decisionmakers. Currently the Air Force uses the Theater Attack Model (TAM), a large-scale linear program, to evaluate theater level tactical air operations in support of procurement decisions. The Air Force Center for Studies and Analysis (AFCSA) maintains TAM and uses it to conduct trade-off analyses by examining the impact of the following factors: budget changes; aircraft and munitions effectiveness; target values; attrition rates; the costs of current and forecast aircraft, munitions, and spares; existing force structure of aircraft and munitions; weather; length of mission; and length of conflict. Currently, AFCSA is examining ways to expand TAM to include airbase operability and electronic countermeasures. The Theater Attack Model (TAM) is a large-scale linear program (LP) used to aid senior decisionmakers in making the tough budget and procurement decisions for the Air Force. TAM, as currently configured, can generate matrices with 9 million variables. The CPU-time to run this model is enormous. Advanced LP techniques are examined to reduce TAM's CPU-time. Recommendations for reducing TAM's CPU-time are outlined with the hope of saving the government money in computer time. Keywords: Simplex method, Mathematical models, Karmarkar's algorithm. (kr)