Dreamcatcher-Operations: Ideal Unit Placement in Adversarial Settings via Mixed Integer Programming
Abstract
Project/Abstract APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASEThe planning and execution of integrated naval engagements is a highly-complex decisionproblem. Maritime Operations Centers (MOC)s are tasked with generating asset-to-target assignmentplans in high-threat maritime arenas consisting of hundreds of distributed, mobile, air, surface,and subsurface targets. Even for skilled planners, the volume of information flowing to andfrom a MOC can create intense processing requirements that limit the quality of plans produced.The project DREAMCATCHER is a wide-ranging effort to build mathematically-rigorous, automateddecision tools to support these complex decision processes. This research project is concerned witha vital subcomponent of DREAMCATCHER, called DC-OPS - a mixed-integer-programming (MIP)model designed to assist the operational planning of asset-target assignment. The goal of DC-OPSis to build a comprehensive asset-mission assignment planning tool that can effectively schedulehigh-volume multi-domain fires, including heterogeneous salvos, against amyriad of defendedtargets, in dynamic, high-threat operational environments.This research project "Dreamcatcher-Operations: Ideal Unit Placement in Adversarial Settingsvia Mixed Integer Programming" will support the continued deployment and uptake of DCOPSas an important MOC planning tool. The research will continue to modify, debug, and improveperformance of existing and next-generation DC-OPS MIP models as they are deployed in real andrealistic settings. Moreover, the research project will extend DC-OPS to account for more sophisticatedplanning considerations, resulting in a more useful decision-making aid for MOC planners.A key improvement outlinedin this research proposal is for DC-OPS to suggest plans that bettertake into account the impact of adversarial behavior on operations. In order to help accomplish thisambitious goal, a simulation framework for evaluating adversarial actions on operational readinesswill be built andtested. This simulation framework will generate input data to novel, two-stagestochastic and robust optimizationmodels created and assessed during the project.The overarching goal of the research project is to create mathematically-sound software toolsthat are implementable and useable as decision-making aids throughout MOCs. The project mayalso serve the purpose of demonstrating the utility of applying advanced mathematical optimizationtools, such as integer programming and stochastic programming, widely in naval operations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 03, 2023
- Source ID
- N000142312290
Entities
People
- Jeffrey Linderoth
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Wisconsin System