Accession Number:

ADA566426

Title:

Minimization of Collateral Damage in Airdrops and Airstrikes

Descriptive Note:

Doctoral thesis

Corporate Author:

AIR FORCE INST OF TECH WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT

Personal Author(s):

• Dillenburger, Steven P.

Report Date:

2012-09-30

Pagination or Media Count:

138.0

Abstract:

Collateral damage presents a signi cant risk during air drops and airstrikes, risking citizens lives and property, straining the relationship between the United States Air Force and host nations. This dissertation presents a methodology to determine the optimal location for making supply airdrops in order to minimize collateral damage while maintaining a high likelihood of successful recovery. A series of non-linear optimization algorithms is presented along with their relative success in nding the optimal location in the airdrop problem. Additionally, we present a quick algorithm for accurately creating the Pareto frontier in the multi-objective airstrike problem. We demonstrate the e ect of di ering guidelines, damage functions, and weapon employment selection which signi cantly alter the location of the optimal aimpoint in this targeting problem. Finally, we have provided a framework for making policy decisions in fast-moving troops-in-contact situations where observers are unsure of the nature of possible enemy forces in both nite horizon and in nite horizon problems. Through the recursive technique of solving this Markov decision process we have demonstrated the e ect of improved intelligence and di ering weights for waiting and incorrect decisions in the face of uncertain situations.

Descriptors:

• *AIR DROP OPERATIONS
• *AIR STRIKES
• *COLLATERAL DAMAGE
• ALGORITHMS
• DECISION MAKING
• MARKOV PROCESSES
• METHODOLOGY
• OPTIMIZATION
• RECURSIVE FUNCTIONS
• THESES
• UTILIZATION

Subject Categories:

• Military Operations, Strategy and Tactics

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE