The causal nexus between military spending and unemployment in the G7: a bootstrap panel causality test

We revisit the causal relationship between military spending and unemployment in the G7 countries applying a bootstrap panel causality analysis that accounts for both cross-sectional dependence and for heterogeneity across countries. Using per capita real GDP as a controlled variable, we found a unidirectional causality running from military spending to unemployment for Canada, Japan, and the US, one-way causality running from unemployment to military spending for France and Germany, and bidirectional causality for Italy and the UK. The empirical evidence does not seem to provide consistent results regarding the causal relationship between military spending and unemployment in G7 countries.     

Warning whom,for which response?

In June 2000, the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) adopted the Protocol on the establishment of the Peace and Security Council for Central Africa (COPAX), with its two technical structures, namely the Central African Multinational Force (FOMAC) and the Central African Early Warning Mechanism (MARAC). MARAC is tasked with collecting and analysing data for the early detection and prevention of conflicts and crises. It currently consists of the Central Structure located at the ECCAS Executive Secretariat in Libreville (Gabon) and 31 Decentralised Correspondents spread throughout the ten member states of ECCAS. This article assesses the performance of MARAC in the light of its assigned objectives. Bearing in mind the peace and security challenges facing the central African sub-region, the central argument of this article is that while the establishment of MARAC is commendable, it flowed more from the logic and context of the establishment of similar mechanisms on the African continent during the same period than from any displayed capacity and/or readiness on the part of ECCAS to implement the recommendations due to emanate from such a structure.     

BUTTER,GUNS AND ICE‐CREAM THEORY AND EVIDENCE FROM SUB‐SAHARAN AFRICA

This paper is intended to complement the existing literature on civil wars. First, it presents a simple theoretical model of conflict that defines a two‐sector economy. In a contested sector, two agents struggle to appropriate the maximum possible fraction of a contestable output. In an uncontested sector, they hold secure property rights over the production of some goods. Agents split their resource endowment between ‘butter’, ‘guns’ and ‘ice‐cream’. Following the theoretical insights the empirical analysis focuses on the relationship between civil wars and different sectors of the economy. In particular, a panel probit specification shows that the incidence of a civil war decreases in the size of manufacturing sector.     

An exact branch‐and‐price algorithm for multitasking scheduling on unrelated parallel machines

We consider the multitasking scheduling problem on unrelated parallel machines to minimize the total weighted completion time. In this problem, each machine processes a set of jobs, while the processing of a selected job on a machine may be interrupted by other available jobs scheduled on the same machine but unfinished. To solve this problem, we propose an exact branch‐and‐price algorithm, where the master problem at each search node is solved by a novel column generation scheme, called in‐out column generation, to maintain the stability of the dual variables. We use a greedy heuristic to obtain a set of initial columns to start the in‐out column generation, and a hybrid strategy combining a genetic algorithm and an exact dynamic programming algorithm to solve the pricing subproblems approximately and exactly, respectively. Using randomly generated data, we conduct numerical studies to evaluate the performance of the proposed solution approach. We also examine the effects of multitasking on the scheduling outcomes, with which the decision maker can justify making investments to adopt or avoid multitasking.     

A worst‐case formulation for constrained ranking and selection with input uncertainty

In this research, we consider robust simulation optimization with stochastic constraints. In particular, we focus on the ranking and selection problem in which the computing time is sufficient to evaluate all the designs (solutions) under consideration. Given a fixed simulation budget, we aim at maximizing the probability of correct selection (PCS) for the best feasible design, where the objective and constraint measures are assessed by their worst‐case performances. To simplify the complexity of PCS, we develop an approximated probability measure and derive the asymptotic optimality condition (optimality condition as the simulation budget goes to infinity) of the resulting problem. A sequential selection procedure is then designed within the optimal computing budget allocation framework. The high efficiency of the proposed procedure is tested via a number of numerical examples. In addition, we provide some useful insights into the efficiency of a budget allocation procedure.     

近地卫星Ka频段数传链路抗雨衰ACM模式设计

针对近地卫星数传时的信道时变性和严重的Ka频段雨衰现象,采用自适应编码调制（ACM）技术能够充分利用链路资源,相对于传统的固定编码调制方式,进一步提高了链路的数据吞吐量。提出了近地卫星Ka频段数传链路ACM模式设计方法,在降雨环境下建立Ka频段数传链路模型,根据信道状况确定ACM选用模式;采用基于导频符号的最大似然信噪比估计算法结合移动平均的平滑方法实现信道估计,有效地减小了估计值的波动。仿真结果表明,无论晴天还是雨天,采用提出的卫星数传链路ACM模式设计方法,能够在保证系统可靠性的同时获取较高的数据吞吐量。     

Experimental investigation on anti-penetration performance of polyurea-coated ASTM1045 steel plate subjected to projectile impact

In this study, the anti-penetration performance of polyurea/ASTM1405-steel composite plate subjected to high velocity projectile was analyzed. Two kinds of modified polyurea material (AMMT-053 and AMMT-055) were selected and a ballistic impact testing system including speed measuring target system and high-speed camera was designed. This experiment was conducted with a rifle and 5.8 mm projectile to explore the effects by the polyurea coating thickness, the polyurea coating position and the glass-fiber cloth on the anti-penetration performance of polyurea/ASTM1405-steel composite plate. The result showed that the effects of polyurea coating position were different between two types of polyurea, and that the effects of glass-fiber position were disparate between two types of polyurea as well. For AMMT-053 polyurea material, it was better to be on front face than on rear face; whereas for AMMT-055 pol-yurea, it was better to be on rear surface although the difference was very subtle. Additionally, formulas had been given to describe the relationship between the effectiveness of polyurea and the thickness of polyurea coating. In general, AMMT-055 had better anti-penetration performance than AMMT-053. Furthermore, five typical damage modes including self-healing, crack, local bulge, spallation and local fragmentation were defined and the failure mechanism was analyzed with the results of SHPB test. Additionally, the bonding strength played an important role in the anti-penetration performance of polyurea/steel composite plate.     

武器装备研发成本补偿引入保险机制

随着我国军民融合武器装备研发生产体系的深度发展和社会主义市场经济体制的不断完善,武器装备研发中投入的研发成本面临很高的投资风险,成为困扰企业参与武器装备研发的重要因素。面对庞大的研发费用支出以及研发成本补偿措施不完善,企业要独自面对研发活动中的风险,这在一定程度上降低了企业参与装备研发的积极性。本文认为,通过保险机制的引入,鼓励企业为武器装备研发活动投保科技保险,同时,军方在对研发活动进行分析评判后,对企业的保费按比例进行分摊,能够在拓宽补偿途径的同时,利用保险分担企业研发过程中的风险,激发企业参与武器装备研发的热情,更好地为军队武器装备发展建设做出贡献。     

美军2021财年核电磁脉冲领域国防预算概况与简析

本文基于美国国防部机构、海军、空军和天军2021财年的国防预算文件,梳理出与核电磁脉冲科研活动相关的12个课题,并通过统计对比,提炼出美军核电磁脉冲科研活动的主要内容及关注点.统计结果显示,这些课题均属于"研究、开发、试验与鉴定"范畴,涉及国防科研预算8个子类中的6个,预算总金额为5.28亿美元.总体而言,美军2021...     

无人机集群反制技术剖析

无人机集群作战具有作战效能高、战场生存能力强、效费比极高的巨大优势,将给传统防空系统带来巨大挑战.现有反无人机集群技术大多来源于反无人机技术,但反平台与反集群存在显著差异,必须针对无人机集群自身技战术特点,加强对精确/高效/低成本的集群反制技术研究.因此,本文以剖析无人机集群反制技术的可行性为出发点,首先,从反无人机集...