Representing Operational Strategies and Command-Control in the RAND strategy Assessment System (RSAS)

Abstract

Models and games used for defense analysis tend to focus on the capability of the forces involved--emphasizing the interaction of weapons systems over operational issues like strategy and command-control. This Note describes Rand's approach in developing and applying a new generation of analytic tools to remedy this problem--the RAND Strategy Assessment System (RSAS). The RSAS includes military-command-level decision models, called analytic war plans (AWPs), to represent decisionmaking by theater commanders. Some of the dimensions of operational strategy include: For the attacker, number and choice of main sectors (initially and after seeing defensive reactions), reserve fraction, force ratio to be maintained on non-main sectors, and tradeoffs between achieving surprise and preparing one's own forces. For the defender, strategy dimensions include the basic defensive and command-control posture, operational strategy, reserve fraction, and the proactiveness of reserve employment.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 1990
Accession Number
ADA239668

Entities

People

  • Paul K. Davis
  • Robert D. Howe

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Counter WMD
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Arms Control
  • Attrition
  • Civil War
  • Command And Control
  • Command And Control Systems
  • Defense Planning
  • Military Planning
  • Military Strategy
  • National Security
  • Operations Research
  • Recreation
  • Second World War
  • Simulations
  • Special Operations Forces
  • War Colleges
  • War Games
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies
  • Team-Based Human-Centered Cognitive Task Decision Making and Information Performance.