Complex Adaptive Systems and the Development of Force Structures for the United States Air Force
Abstract
Force-structure analysis--the mathematical and scientific discipline of assessing the utility of various material force structures--is critical to the process of planning, programming, and acquiring the military means to provide for national security and to shape the strategic environment. For this analysis to provide appropriate recommendations regarding force structure, however it is vital that the prevailing analytic paradigm be consistent with the true nature of force structure, the environment, and their relationship to one another. This analysis presents a theory of complex adaptive systems and demonstrates that force structures are examples of such systems. The argument is then made that the prevailing paradigm of the force-structure-analysis community in the United States Air Force is inconsistent with this reality. A collection of recommendations identifies low-cost opportunities with the potential for significant long-term effects in aligning the force-structure-analysis paradigm with the fact that force structures are complex adaptive systems.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2014
- Accession Number
- ADA616419
Entities
People
- Eric M. Murphy
Organizations
- Air University