Graph Matching and Link Analysis for Dynamic Planning and Execution

Abstract

This paper discusses an innovative approach to military campaign strategy; planning; resource allocation, and scheduling based on link analysis, graph matching and mixed linear integer programming. Graph matching explores purely topological aspects of planning and scheduling where the processes can be viewed as a graph. Link analysis explores relations among large numbers of similar or different types of objects. Mixed linear integer programming solves problems containing both integer variable constraints, like aircraft numbers, as well as linear (rational) variable constraints like risk and probability of destruction or success. ATO Link (Air Tasking Order Link Analysis) combines these software technologies to more optimally use resources throughout all phases of the air campaign planning and execution process. These three mature, matrix-based and computationally well-behaved technologies (link analysis, graph matching, and mixed integer programming) have the potential to scale to extremely large plans, while scheduling limited resources more optimally. The ATO Link prototype is based on an effects-based operations (EBO) approach for the aerospace planning domain, but we feel is applicable to all types of planning. This effort has the potential to significantly accelerate the military campaign planning and execution process while exploring more courses of action and maintaining plan rationale. The goal is more proactive, dynamic planning and execution to achieve full spectrum dominance in military operations.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 2002
Accession Number
ADA467560

Entities

People

  • Albert G. Frantz
  • John A. Beyerle
  • Sherry E. Marcus

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Aircrafts
  • Algorithms
  • Asymmetric Warfare
  • Computational Complexity
  • Computer Programming
  • Computers
  • Deployment
  • Integer Programming
  • Linear Programming
  • Link Analysis
  • Mathematics
  • Optimization
  • Programming Languages
  • Simplex Method
  • Warfare

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Graph Algorithms and Convex Optimization.
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Operations Research

Technology Areas

  • Space