Technical Analysis to Identify Ideal Geographic Locations for Tropical Testing of Army Materiel and Systems

摘要

This report presents the findings of a scientific panel assembled by the Army Research Office at the request of the Technical Director, US Army Yuma Proving Ground, for the purpose of identifying alternative locations for tropical testing should the Army be required to relocate from its current facilities in Panama. The panel addressed this tasking in three sequential steps. First, the mission for tropical testing was examined to define the conditions that best provide the environmental challenges needed for tropical testing at present and into the next century. Next, the defining parameters for the ideal tropical test environment were identified and categorized into three grouped factors of climate, physical setting, and biotic character. Finally, regions of the world were identified that best fit the combined parameters for an ideal tropical test environment. The analysis was based solely on critical environmental parameters defined by the panel, without constraining the analysis by the numerous other non-scientific considerations that would impact any final site selection. To support any follow-on siting efforts, a decision tree was constructed based upon a prioritization of the critical environmental parameters.