Improving Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Maintenance Scheduling Through the Use of Location Analysis Methodologies

摘要

The events of September 11, 2001 have led to increased security requirements for all ICBM-related activities. Missile maintenance managers must explore new scheduling techniques to sustain weapon system readiness levels in light of published security enhancements. The problem of improving missile maintenance scheduling is modeled as a two-stage heuristic that utilizes the maximal covering location problem methodology. Maintenance activities are categorized and weighted according to published priority designation and mission impact. The model's first stage seeks to select two security umbrellas that maximize the weighted sum of maintenance activities. Stage two seeks to determine a maintenance schedule comprised of launch facilities covered by the stage one security umbrellas. Model constraints include number of security umbrellas, security force response times, and maintenance and security personnel availability. Scheduling effectiveness is determined by comparing research model solutions to actual maintenance activities accomplished at F. E. Warren AFB, WY during May 2005. Sensitivity analysis is used to demonstrate the effects of adjusting security force response times and security umbrella quantity constraints on maintenance activities performed and manpower utilization. Missile maintenance and security forces managers can use this information to determine feasible schedules that fulfill prescribed security requirements, while sustaining current weapon system readiness levels.