“simple-approximate” battle-outcome-prediction conditions for variable-coefficient lanchester-type equations of modern warfare

This article considers combat between two homogeneous forces modeled by variable- coefficient Lanchester-type equations of modern warfare and develops new “simple-approximate” battle-outcome-prediction conditions for military engagements terminated by two different types of prescribed conditions being met (fixed-force-level-breakpoint battles and fixed-force-ratio-breakpoint battles). These battle-outcome-prediction conditions are sufficient (but not necessary) to determine the outcome of battle without having to explicitly compute the force-level trajectories, and they are characterized by their simplicity, requiring no advanced mathematical knowledge or tabulations of “special functions” for their application. Integrability properties of the Lanchester attrition-rate coefficients figure prominently in their results, and involved in their development is a generalization of Lanchester's famous square law to variable-coefficient Lanchester-type combat and several other novel mathematical developments for the analysis of ordinary differential equations. Examples are given, with the attack of a mobile force against a static defensive position (both sides armed with weapons whose firepower is range dependent) being examined in detail.     

Some simple victory-prediction conditions for lanchester-type combat between two homogeneous forces with supporting fires

This paper develops new “simple” victory-prediction conditions for a linear Lanchester-type model of combat between two homogeneous forces with superimposed effects of supporting fires not subject to attrition. These simple victory-prediction conditions involve only the initial conditions of battle and certain assumptions about the nature of temporal variations in the attrition-rate coefficients. They are developed for a fixed-force-ratio-breakpoint battle by studying the force-ratio equation for the linear combat model. An important consideration is shown to be required for developing such simple victory-prediction conditions: victory is not guaranteed in a fixed-force-ratio-breakpoint battle even when the force ratio is always changing to the advantage of one of the combatants. One must specify additional conditions to hold for the cumulative fire effectivenesses of the primary weapon systems in order to develop correct victory-prediction conditions. The inadequacy of previous victory-prediction results is explained by examining (for the linear combat model without the supporting fires) new “exact” victory-prediction conditions, which show that even the range of possible battle outcomes may be significantly different for variable-coefficient and constant-coefficients models.     

Theoretical analysis of the general linear model for lanchester - type combat between two homogeneous forces

This paper studies Lanchester-type combat between two homogeneous forces modeled by the so-called general linear model with continuous replacements/withdrawals. It demonstrates that this model can be transformed into a simpler canonical form, which is also shown to arise from fixed-force-level-breakpoint battles modeled by Lanchester-type equations for modern warfare. Analytical expressions for the force levels for the general variable coefficient linear model with continuous replacements/withdrawals are constructed out of so-called general Lanchester functions for the model without replacements/withdrawals, for which all solutions are shown to be nonoscillatory in the strict sense. These force-level results are unfortunately so complicated and opaque that the constant-coefficient version of the model must be studied before any insights into the dynamics of combat may be analytically obtained. Thus, fairly complete results are given for the general linear model with constant attrition-rate coefficients and constant rates of replacement/withdrawal. However, the expressions for the force levels are still so complicated that we have not been able to develop battle-outcome prediction conditions directly from them alone but have had to establish general results on the qualitative behavior of solutions. A significant result (and one that greatly complicates the prediction of battle outcome) is that all solutions to the model with replacements/withdrawals are no longer necessarily nonoscillatory in the strict sense, i.e., both sides force levels can take on negative values if the force-on-force attrition equations are not “turned off” at the right time. Thus, this paper shows that the addition of continuous replacements/withdrawals to a Lanchester-type model may significantly change the qualitative behavior of the force-level trajectories. Battle-outcome prediction conditions are nevertheless given, and important insights into the dynamics of combat are briefly indicated.     

On the relationship between the force ratio and the instantaneous casualty-exchange ratio for some lanchester-type models of warfare

A “local” condition of winning (in the sense that the force ratio is changing to the advantage of one of the combatants) is shown to apply to all deterministic Lanchester-type models with two force-level variables. This condition involves the comparison of only the force ratio and the instantaneous force-change ratio. For no replacements and withdrawals, a combatant is winning “instantaneously” when the force ratio exceeds the differential casualty-exchange ratio. General outcome-prediction relations are developed from this “local” condition and applied to a nonlinear model for Helmbold-type combat between two homogeneous forces with superimposed effects of supporting fires not subject to attrition. Conditions under which the effects of the supporting fires “cancel out” are given.     

A Lanchester-type aggregated-force model of conventional ground combat

This article develops a Lanchester-type model of large-scale conventional ground combat between two opposing forces in a “sector”. It is shown that nonlinear Helmbold-type equations of warfare with operational losses may be used to represent the loss-rate curves that have been used in many aggregated-force models. These nonlinear differential equations are used to model the attrition of combat capability (as quantified by a so-called firepower index) in conjunction with a rate-of-advance equation that relates motion of the contact zone (or FEBA) between the opposing forces to the force ratio and tactical decisions of the combatants. This simplified auxiliary model is then used to develop some important insights into the dynamics of FEBA movement used in large-scale aggregated-force models. Different types of behavior for FEBA movement over time are shown to correspond to different ranges of values for the initial force ratio, for example, an attack will “stall out” for a range of initial force ratios above a specific threshold value, but it will “break out” for force ratios above a second specific threshold value. Such FEBA-movement predictions are essentially based on being able to forecast changes over time in the force ratio.     

Differential-game examination of optimal time-sequential fire-support strategies

Optimal time-sequential fire-support strategies are studied through a two-person zero-sum deterministic differential game with closed-loop (or feedback) strategies. Lanchester-type equations of warfare are used in this work. In addition to the max-min principle, the theory of singular extremals is required to solve this prescribed-duration combat problem. The combat is between two heterogeneous forces, each composed of infantry and a supporting weapon system (artillery). In contrast to previous work reported in the literature, the attrition structure of the problem at hand leads to force-level-dependent optimal fire-support strategies with the attacker's optimal fire-support strategy requiring him to sometimes split his artillery fire between enemy infantry and artillery (counterbattery fire). A solution phenomnon not previously encountered in Lanchester-type differential games is that the adjoint variables may be discontinuous across a manifold of discontinuity for both players' strategies. This makes the synthesis of optimal strategies particularly difficult. Numerical examples are given.     

Force-annihilation conditions for variable-coefficient lanchester-type equations of modern warfare

This paper develops a mathematical theory for predicting force annihilation from initial conditions without explicitly computing force-level trajectories for deterministic Lanchester-type “square-law” áttrition equations for combat between two homogeneous forces with temporal variations in fire effectivenesses (as expressed by the Lanchester attrition-rate coefficients). It introduces a canonical auxiliary parity-condition problem for the determination of a single parity-condition parameter (“the enemy force equivalent of a friendly force of unit strength”) and new exponential-like general Lanchester functions. Prediction of force annihilation within a fixed finite time would involve the use of tabulations of the quotient of two Lanchester functions. These force-annihilation results provide further information on the mathematical properties of hyperbolic-like general Lanchester functions: in particular, the parity-condition parameter is related to the range of the quotient of two such hyperbolic-like general Lanchester functions. Different parity-condition parameter results and different new exponential-like general Lanchester functions arise from different mathematical forms for the attrition-rate coefficients. This theory is applied to general power attrition-rate coefficients: exact force-annihilation results are obtained when the so-called offset parameter is equal to zero; while upper and lower bounds for the parity-condition parameter are obtained when the offset parameter is positive.     

Target selection in lanchester combat: Heterogeneous forces and time-dependent attrition-rate coefficients

We develop solutions to two fire distribution problems for a homogeneous force in Lanchester combat against heterogeneous enemy forces. The combat continues over a period of time with a choice of tactics available to the homogeneous force and subject to change with time. In these idealized combat situations the lethality of each force's fire (as expressed by the Lanchester attrition-rate coefficient) depends upon time. Optimal fire distribution rules are developed through the combination of Lanchester-type equations for combat attrition and deterministic optimal control theory (Pontryagin maximum principle). Additionally, the theory of state variable inequality constraints is used to treat the nonnegativity of force levels. The synthesis of optimal fire distribution policies was facilitated by exploiting special mathematical structures in these problems.     

An examination of the effects of the criterion functional on optimal fire-support policies

This paper examines the dependence of the structure of optimal time-sequential fire-support policies on the quantification of military objectives by considering four specific problems, each corresponding to a different quantification of objectives (i.e. criterion functional). We consider the optimal time-sequential allocation of supporting fires during the “approach to contact” of friendly infantry against enemy defensive positions. The combat dynamics are modelled by deterministic Lanchester-type equations of warfare, and the optimal fire-support policy for each one-sided combat optimization problem is developed via optimal control theory. The problems are all nonconvex, and local optima are a particular difficulty in one of them. For the same combat dynamics, the splitting of supporting fires between two enemy forces in any optimal policy (i.e. the optimality of singular subarcs) is shown to depend only on whether the terminal payoff reflects the objective of attaining an “overall” military advantage or a “local” one. Additionally, switching times for changes in the ranking of target priorities are shown to be different (sometimes significantly) when the decision criterion is the difference and the ratio of the military worths (computed according to linear utilities) of total infantry survivors and also the difference and the ratio of the military worths (computed according to linear utilities) of total infantry survivors and also the difference and the ratio of the military worths of the combatants' total infantry losses. Thus, the optimal fire-support policy for this attack scenario is shown to be significantly influenced by the quantification of military objectives.     

一类带时滞的非线性兰彻斯特战斗模型的分析

基于非线性兰彻斯特方程的一般形式和现代战争的特点,考虑到时间因素在现代战争中的巨大作用,建立并讨论了一类带时滞的非线性兰彻斯特战斗模型。通过定性分析,得到了模型的平衡点及其稳定性,证明了原模型解的存在唯一性,并给出了解的存在区域。战例分析结果表明该模型能用来描述现代战争。因此,该模型对研究现代战争的战斗进程、武器发展规划、现代军事练兵等都具有一定的参考价值。     

着眼信息化条件下作战需求充分发挥军队律师职能作用

信息化条件下作战对战争各要素提出了更多更高的要求,法律支持与保障作用凸显、不可或缺。作为军事行动法律保障的专业力量,军队律师唯有积极应对战场环境透明化、军事打击快速化、作战行动精确化的作战特点,坚持运用为主,做好平战转化,紧贴作战需求,提供及时、精准的全程化和全方位法律保障,才能充分发挥其职能作用,运用法律武器确保作战意图的最终达成。     

Approximations and empirics for stochastic war equations

The article develops a theorem which shows that the Lanchester linear war equations are not in general equal to the Kolmogorov linear war equations. The latter are time‐consuming to solve, and speed is important when a large number of simulations must be run to examine a large parameter space. Run times are provided, where time is a scarce factor in warfare. Four time efficient approximations are presented in the form of ordinary differential equations for the expected sizes and variances of each group, and the covariance, accounting for reinforcement and withdrawal of forces. The approximations are compared with “exact” Monte Carlo simulations and empirics from the WWII Ardennes campaign. The band spanned out by plus versus minus the incremented standard deviations captures some of the scatter in the empirics, but not all. With stochastically varying combat effectiveness coefficients, a substantial part of the scatter in the empirics is contained. The model is used to forecast possible futures. The implications of increasing the combat effectiveness coefficient governing the size of the Allied force, and injecting reinforcement to the German force during the Campaign, are evaluated, with variance assessments. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2005.     

基于时滞兰彻斯特战斗模型的现代攻防对抗?

针对现代攻防对抗研究的复杂性,在分析已有的现代战争模型的基础上,充分考虑时间因素在作战中的影响,建立了反映双方对抗态势的时滞兰彻斯特战斗模型,并借助Matlab?Simulink工具箱,对模型进行了数值仿真实验。仿真结果表明：时间因素在现代攻防对抗中占据越来越重要的地位。最后依据所得结论,分别探讨了攻防双方为取得最佳战绩应当采取的对策,为武器装备发展规划、现代作战决策与军事练兵提供一定的理论指导。     

基于时滞兰彻斯特战斗模型的现代攻防对抗

针对现代攻防对抗研究的复杂性,在分析已有的现代战争模型的基础上,充分考虑时间因素在作战中的影响,建立了反映双方对抗态势的时滞兰彻斯特战斗模型,并借助Matlab-Simulink工具箱,对模型进行了数值仿真实验。仿真结果表明：时间因素在现代攻防对抗中占据越来越重要的地位。最后依据所得结论,分别探讨了攻防双方为取得最佳战绩应当采取的对策,为武器装备发展规划、现代作战决策与军事练兵提供一定的理论指导。     

防空兵群指挥所配置方案优化分析

防空兵群指挥所配置是兵力部署的重要内容,它从根本上决定了指挥所的指挥效能和野战生存能力。多年来,指挥所的配置多是根据防空兵战斗的相关战术原则,由作战参谋提出数个配置方案,然后由指挥员做出决策。这种仅凭主观决策的做法与现代防空作战的要求不相适应。结合模糊多指标评判方法与优化理论,从发挥指挥效能与提高生存能力两个方面出发,对防空群指挥所的配置进行了分析,并建立了配置方案优化的模型,从根本上改变了指挥所配置完全依赖主观判断的做法。最后应用模型分析了一个实例。     

A case study in early joint warfare: An analysis of the Wehrmacht's Crimean campaign of 1942

Military theorists and commentators believe that joint operations prove more effective in most circumstances of modern warfare than operations involving only one service or involving two or more services but without systematic integration or unified command. Many see Nazi Germany's armed forces, the Wehrmacht, as early pioneers of ‘jointness’.

This essay demonstrates that the Wehrmacht did indeed understand the value of synchronising its land, sea and air forces and placing them under operational commanders who had at least a rudimentary understanding of the tactics, techniques, needs, capabilities and limitations of each of the services functioning in their combat zones. It also shows that the Wehrmacht's efforts in this direction produced the desired result of improved combat effectiveness.

Yet it argues that the Wehrmacht lacked elements considered by today's theorists to be essential to the attainment of truly productive jointness ‐ a single tri‐service commander, a proper joint staff and an absence of inter‐service rivalry ‐ and that, as a result, it often suffered needless difficulties in combat.     

HLA机群协同空战下指挥与控制系统建模与仿真

指挥与控制系统被誉为现代战争的兵力倍增器。依据现代空战的特点,对机群协同空战这一背景下的空战指挥与控制系统进行了研究。重点建立了由预警机上层指控系统和编队长机下层指控系统组成的空战两级指控系统模型。最后以HLA/RT I分布仿真技术标准为依托,构建了通用性好,灵活性高,互操作性强的航空兵空战仿真模拟系统,并以此系统为仿真平台,在多种初始态势下对所建立的机群协同空战下的两级空战指控系统进行仿真分析,实验结果表明所建立的指挥与控制系统模型是合理可行的。     

A Lanchester-type model of combat with stochastic rates

The effects of environmental stochasticity in a Lanchester-type model of combat are investigated. The methodology is based on a study of stochastic differential equations with random parameters characterized by dichotomous Markov processes. Exact expressions for the Laplace transforms of the time evolution of the first- and second-order moments of the system are obtained. A special case when the fluctuations in the parameters occur with great rapidity in comparison with the natural time scale of the system is also analyzed. The stochastic stability in the mean-square sense is discussed by using the Routh–Hurwitz criterion and it is found that the stochastic perturbations tend to destabilize the system.     

基于武器协同共用的无人机反潜作战效能研究

在一个暴露时间有限的反潜作战想定背景下,提出了评估该作战过程的效能指标,建立了相应的模型,并把武器协同共用条件下的作战结果与传统作战模式的结果作比较,结论表明,武器协同共用作战模式能够有效改善各项作战效能指标,是提高作战效能的有效手段。     

Lanchester-type models of warfare and optimal control

The optimization of the dynamics of combat (optimal distribution of fire over enemy target types) is studied through a sequence of idealized models by use of the mathematical theory of optimal control. The models are for combat over a period of time described by Lanchester-type equations with a choice of tactics available to one side and subject to change with time. The structure of optimal fire distribution policies is discussed with reference to the influence of combatant objectives, termination conditions of the conflict, type of attrition process, and variable attrition-rate coefficients. Implications for intelligence, command and control systems, and human decision making are pointed out. The use of such optimal control models for guiding extensions to differential games is discussed.