Modeling of Attrition in a Barrier Penetration Process with Evenly Spaced Barrier Elements

Abstract

This paper examines a class of combat processes where one side's resources are evenly distributed along a barrier and the other side attempts to penetrate that barrier. Starting from a set of straightforward assumptions, the paper derives exact or approximate expressions for the expected number of shots fired at a target. The derivations combine and extend several concepts used in previous attrition models, including having resources situated on a barrier, letting each attacker engage several targets, and the use of the Poisson approximation to the binomial when there are several types of targets. Several different firing rules (attack protocols) are considered. Some of the equations developed here have been used in the Institute for Defense Analyses' NAVMOD naval model to model attrition when a task force or group of ships crosses a hostile submarine barrier.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1990
Accession Number
ADA227589

Entities

People

  • Alan F. Karr
  • Eleanor L. Schwartz

Organizations

  • Institute for Defense Analyses

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Air Defense
  • Attrition
  • Binomials
  • Equations
  • Governments
  • Lanchester Equations
  • Losses
  • Mathematics
  • Numbers
  • Probability
  • Probability Distributions
  • Random Variables
  • Ships
  • Submarines
  • Task Forces
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Approximation Theory.
  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Cybersecurity.

Technology Areas

  • Space