Lanchester attrition of interpenetrating forces

To approximate the solutions of detailed simulations of interpenetrating forces (or possibly to assist in curtailing Monte Carlo calculations), this article provides solutions to a simple problem assuming that the speed of advance is constant; the only interactions are local; Lanchester's linear or square law applies; force distributions are continuous if not initially uniform in depth. The resultant partial differential equations are solvable (1) in closed form if attrition is minimal or (2) with pain when attrition is sufficient to annihilate the leading edge of a force. This is exemplified only for the square law, where one must solve an integrodifferential equation for an ancillary function. A general solution is given for either law, and for the latter case a more complete one, assuming that initial force distributions are uniform. Useful properties of an unusual class of Bessel functions needed for this analysis are given in an appendix. Copies of computer programs are available.     

Radar pulse interleaving for multi‐target tracking

In a multifunction radar, the maximum number of targets that can be managed or tracked is an important performance measure. Interleaving algorithms developed to operate radars exploit the dead‐times between the transmitted and the received pulses to allocate new tracking tasks that might involve transmitting or receiving pulses, thus increasing the capacity of the system. The problem of interleaving N targets involves a search among N! possibilities, and suboptimal solutions are usually employed to satisfy the real‐time constraints of the radar system. In this paper, we present new tight 0–1 integer programming models for the radar pulse interleaving problem and develop effective solution methods based on Lagrangian relaxation techniques. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2004.     

Dynamic proximity calculations for situation awareness

We apply dynamic proximity calculations (density and clustering) from dynamic computational geometry to a military application. The derived proximity information serves as an abstract view of a current situation in the battlefield that can help a military commander achieve situation awareness. We employ Delaunay triangulation as a computational tool in our framework, and study its dynamic update in depth. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2004.     

Law Enforcement Intelligence: A Call for New Strategies and Tactics in Countering Criminal Insurgency

This paper underscores the theory that efficacious law enforcement intelligence addresses current problems of criminal insurgency including acts of terrorism, asymmetric warfare and low intensity conflict, and suggests possible solutions. By introducing the notion of crime as insurgency, a new paradigm may be developed that could assist practitioners and academics alike in analyzing, solving and managing crime. By shifting the perspective for both military and civilian forces from their traditionally reactive stance, to a proactive posture, and merging national security with homeland defense on the most perplexing issues and threats facing US security, this work may provide a base upon which new and actionable policies can be designed. Public administrators must take seriously the lessons from past failures. The single most important supposition being, sound policy is reliant upon good intelligence.     

Polynomial‐time approximation schemes for two‐machine open shop scheduling with nonavailability constraints

This paper addresses a two‐machine open shop scheduling problem, in which the machines are not continuously available for processing. The processing of an operation affected by a non‐availability interval can be interrupted and resumed later. The objective is to minimize the makespan. We present two polynomial‐time approximation schemes, one of which handles the problem with one non‐availability interval on each machine and the other for the problem with several non‐availability intervals on one of the machines. Problems with a more general structure of the non‐availability intervals are not approximable in polynomial time within a constant factor, unless . © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2006     

Decommissioning and paramilitary strategy in Northern Ireland: A problem compared

This study examines the problems of paramilitary decommissioning in Northern Ireland. It analyses why decommissioning has become so contentious in the Northern Ireland peace process. Decommissioning, though, is not a unique or intrinsically insurmountable problem. This is demonstrated by highlighting the issue in international context. Three examples of decommissioning in conflict resolution processes are assessed: the Lebanon, El Salvador and Mozambique. These varied examples do supply some limited lessons for Northern Ireland. This study argues that the explanation for the intractability of decommissioning in Northern Ireland resides, to a greater extent, in the tactical and strategic reasoning of the main paramilitary groupings in Northern Ireland. The factors that condition their thinking, however, can be found in the nature of the peace process itself which provides the paramilitiaries with every incentive to retain possession of their weapons.