Striking a deal on the F-35: multinational politics and US defence acquisition

Why does joint defence production of advanced weapons systems, which appears like a logical choice at first, become harder for both the primary production state and its allies to manage and justify as the acquisition process runs its course? To answer this question, we analyze the multinational politics of the F-35 JSF with a focus on how secondary states who have bought into the program are affected by domestic politics within the primary production state. We find that US congressional and bureaucratic politics, cuts to US defence spending, and a desire to retain tight control over the program has locked allies into a program with which they have little leverage. Potentially losing the ability to fight along side the US if they don’t follow through, coupled with inter-Alliance pressures, leaves secondary states who are involved with the F-35 program, vulnerable to the whims of US domestic politics.     

Identifying the challenges to defence reform in Central and Eastern Europe: observations from the field

The authors have over 50 years' experience of working on defence in Central and Eastern Europe. They have been intimately involved in trying to reform over 10 national defence organisations including Ukraine. During this work, they often faced intractable resistance and scepticism or conversely, apparent unbounded support, but following this, a complete lack of any actual implementation work by officials. This paper addresses some of the findings and observations identified by the authors that appear to cause these responses and the consequent failure of reform. A new research approach has been taken by using the business and culture tools from Schein, Hofstede and Kotter to try and unravel the underlying causality of that failure. The second part of the paper produces a new process for change based upon the research conclusions to help other advisers and consultants working on reform in the post communist defence arena.     

The Serbian defence institution: the need for clear policy guidance to improve the Serbian defence planning,management, and command processes

ABSTRACT

The uncritical layering of western liberal defence governance norms and concepts on top of existing legacy concepts has impeded achieving coherent military capabilities and capacities when Serbia’s political and military leadership tried to reform the defence system using Western benchmarking principles and Western countries’ best practices. The process of this change has been more valuable than its actual output, as defined by increased capabilities. Such outcomes should be reflective of policy guidance, and can be thought of as closing the trinity loop of a defence planning system: plans, money and execution. This article addresses two key functional areas of the Serbian defence institution. First, it assesses the current state of defence planning to discern its strengths and weaknesses to ascertain if plans are tied to financial decision-making. Second, a full examination of current Serbian defence management is conducted to discern whether weaknesses exist that distract from producing operational capabilities. Both areas are analyzed thoroughly and some solutions for change are proposed. Also, the article analyzes the appearance of two negative phenomena in the planning process – economization and managerialism.     

改进遗传算法在防空武器目标分配中的应用研究

针对传统方法在防空武器目标分配时仅考虑双方态势优势的问题,建立了基于综合射击优势和目标威胁度的武器目标分配数学模型,并使用改进遗传算法对该模型进行了求解。该算法相比传统遗传算法主要进行了以下改进：采用排队选择和轮盘赌选择结合的选择方法,采用子代个体部分替换或不替换双亲的方法,采用了自适应变异概率等。并在Matlab环境下进行了仿真,且和传统算法进行了对比,仿真结果证明该算法改进合理,对地面防空火力分配决策研究具有一定的参考价值。     

一体化试验技术在反坦克导弹全寿命周期中的应用研究

提出了一体化试验的设计方案和试验流程,并分析了一体化试验的技术关键：仿真可信性评估;半实物仿真;仿真试验数据与飞行试验数据的一体化处理。利用一体化试验技术对某型装甲步兵战车导弹射击试验中出现导弹逸出视场问题进行了研究。     

三维空战次最优火控模型

针对三维空战,应用强迫奇异摄动理论解决了追逃最优策略无法求解的难题,建立起了三维中距空战的追逃次最优火控模型.该模型的突出特点是最优解具有闭环形式,可以在线完成.仿真结果表明:该火控模型可以准确地实现对目标的三维攻击,并且避免了求解最优控制中经常出现的两点边值问题,使数值计算量大为减少.     

防空兵群射击指挥方式及其优化问题

从防空兵作战指挥的实际需求出发,利用概率论和防空作战运筹理论,描述了集中、分散、混合和平行等射击指挥方式的概念、特点及其相互关系,论述了射击指挥方式定量分析的基本方法、主要依据和指标,建立了基于群抗击效率的评估模型,在对多种射击指挥方式进行定量比较的基础上,揭示了射击指挥中具有普遍意义的、潜在的实用规则.     

防空信息防御作战系统安全分析与效能评估

介绍了防空信息防御系统安全分析方法与流程.分析了防空信息防御作战的效能评估指标,由于诸指标主观性很强,普通的方法难以取得好的效果,而神经网络以其良好的非线性处理能力,为解决此问题提供了一个好的方法.对应用代数算法神经网络解决防空信息防御作战效能评估的方法问题进行了探讨.给出了代数算法及评估模型.并通过实例证明了方法的可行性,最后与一般的BP神经网络方法进行了对比,体现了该方法的先进性.     

MEMS惯性测量组合在无人机飞行参数测量中的应用

介绍了在无人机飞行试验中应用MEMS微惯性测量组合来解算飞行姿态、速度位置等参数的某个实例.试验结果表明,由此系统所得到的数据及曲线能够很好地描述实际飞行过程.试验数据为进一步地相关分析提供了有利的依据.     

面向第四代战斗机的超视距空战

面对第四代战斗机的列装服役,其先进的技战术性能使得未来空战中超视距空战这种模式越来越占据主导地位,超视距空战具有其特殊的战术特点和影响其空战效果的因素,尤其是机载雷达和空空导弹的性能差异对超视距空战影响很大,因此要充分掌握战斗机的主要性能,做到取长补短.但是,空战中情况瞬息万变,任何时候也离不开飞行员和指挥员的灵活处置.只有在战斗机性能的不断提升的基础上,研究出相应的超视距空战战术,才能在未来高技术空战中真正具备打赢能力.