The Weapons Mix Problem: A Math Model to Quantify the Effects of Internetting of Fires to the Objective Future Force

Abstract

Network Centric Warfare, the new paradigm of future warfighting, will produce increased amounts of information, and new tools will be needed to better utilize that information. With the increase in the flows of information, decision making tools and processes from the strategic to the tactical level will allow force elements to be used more effectively during a campaign. Understanding the appropriate mixes of effects-generating capabilities necessary to provide a given measure of outcome and how these capabilities might be employed in the network-centric future is the driver for the work on internetting of fires (IOF). Simply put, IOF is "the ability to engage a particular target using any number of potential firers who are able to engage due to being on the network which provides targeting information." The goal of this report is to describe a method for answering the question, "How might internetted weapons be best employed?" In addition, this study provided a better understanding of the IOF process and a means to quantify its relationship to combat outcome. An important aspect of implementing the IOF concept will be to discover how best to allocate fire missions from a collection of shooters on a network. This report describes the design and use of an analytical tool to assist in determining the allocation of weapons to targets. Proof-of-principle examples that demonstrate the model's utility are given, along with observations and a discussion on the way ahead for this methodology. The tool was designed to be simple, unencumbered, and transparent, enabling the customer to use it quickly to develop insights into weapon allocation and other aspects of future battle command systems. This work should be of interest to those involved in C4ISR design, development, and system acquisition planning for the Army's Future Force.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2005
Accession Number
ADA435359

Entities

People

  • Christopher G. Pernin
  • Louis R. Moore

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Artillery
  • Artillery Fire
  • Collateral Damage
  • Command And Control
  • Command And Control Systems
  • Firing Rate
  • Indirect Fire
  • Knowledge Management
  • Mathematical Models
  • Munitions
  • Network Centric Warfare
  • Observation
  • Spreadsheet Software
  • Targeting
  • Targets
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
  • Marksmanship and Weaponry.