Vicarious warfare: The counterproductive consequences of modern American military practice

This article examines contemporary modes of American warfare. It posits the concept of “vicarious warfare” as a means of capturing prominent patterns in warfighting approaches. Although rooted in long-standing traditions of military practice, vicarious warfare is sufficiently novel as to be identifiable as a distinct phenomenon. The precise manifestation or combination of vicarious methods vary according to the specific circumstances and political contexts prevailing in different theaters. However, America’s general preference is to fight its wars by delegating tasks to proxies and limiting exposure of its own military to danger. Where U.S. forces are employed directly, this takes place largely in the shadows. Such approaches have clear attractions, offer undoubted tactical advantages, and permit successive administrations to maintain a persistent tempo of operations that evades rigorous democratic scrutiny. Yet, prominent cases and numerous studies suggest that vicarious warfare has a high potential to generate counterproductive effects and significant strategic harm.     

人工神经网络特征优化方法在模式识别中的应用

在模式识别中,特征量的选择及组合优化是设计模式识别系统的关键问题,它强烈地影响到分类器的设计及其性能。人工神经网络除了在模式识别中作为分类器应用之外,而且能够实现特征参数的提取。通过采用人工神经网络模型,对柴油机故障的特征量优化方法进行了研究,实现了对柴油机故障的特征提取及优化。     

Two‐stage component test plans for testing the reliability of a series system

A system reliability is often evaluated by individual tests of components that constitute the system. These component test plans have advantages over complete system based tests in terms of time and cost. In this paper, we consider the series system with n components, where the lifetime of the i‐th component follows exponential distribution with parameter λ_i. Assuming test costs for the components are different, we develop an efficient algorithm to design a two‐stage component test plan that satisfies the usual probability requirements on the system reliability and in addition minimizes the maximum expected cost. For the case of prior information in the form of upper bounds on λ_i's, we use the genetic algorithm to solve the associated optimization problems which are otherwise difficult to solve using mathematical programming techniques. The two‐stage component test plans are cost effective compared to single‐stage plans developed by Rajgopal and Mazumdar. We demonstrate through several numerical examples that our approach has the potential to reduce the overall testing costs significantly. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 49: 95–116, 2002; DOI 10.1002/nav.1051     

More on the search for an infiltrator

We have asymptotically solved a discrete search game on an array of n ordered cells with two players: infiltrator (hider) and searcher, when the probability of survival approaches 1. The infiltrator wishes to reach the last cell in finite time, and the searcher has to defend that cell. When the players occupy the same cell, the searcher captures the infiltrator with probability 1 ? z. The payoff to the hider is the probability that the hider reaches the last cell without getting captured. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 49: 1–14, 2002; DOI 10.1002/nav.1047     

Analysis of a machine repair problem with an unreliable server and phase type repairs and services

In this paper we study a machine repair problem in which a single unreliable server maintains N identical machines. The breakdown times of the machines are assumed to follow an exponential distribution. The server is subject to failure and the failure times are exponentially distributed. The repair times of the machine and the service times of the repairman are assumed to be of phase type. Using matrix‐analytic methods, we perform steady state analysis of this model. The time spent by a failed machine in service and the total time in the repair facility are shown to be of phase type. Several performance measures are evaluated. An optimization problem to determine the number of machines to be assigned to the server that will maximize the expected total profit per unit time is discussed. An illustrative numerical example is presented. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 50: 462–480, 2003     

多轴越野车辆悬架部件结构优化设计

基于有限单元法、变密度方法和车辆动力学分析方法,对某型多轴越野车辆的典型部件(前悬架摆臂)主体进行了结构优化设计研究。结果表明:通过结构优化,降低了摆臂的质量,提高了摆臂的静态、动态结构刚度和强度。     

铝热焊接工艺参数优化研究

为获得最佳铝热焊接工艺参数,对拉伸试件进行了正交试验和二次通用旋转组合试验,研究预热温度、加压时间和预留焊缝3因素对接头强度的影响,进而寻求一组使焊接接头强韧性最高的焊接工艺参数组合。利用电子显微镜等对试件拉伸断口进行了分析,通过对比2种开始加压时间下试件的显微组织和性能,研究了这2种方法对接头强韧性的影响。结果表明:采用设计的铝热焊接试验装置和优化出的随焊加压致密化工艺参数,可使焊接接头获得大变形组织,从而获得高的强度和韧性。该项研究可为提高铝热焊接质量提供基础数据。     

战时铁路运输油料抢收模拟优化

战时,铁路运输油料抢收是一个受到各种随机因素影响的复杂过程,很难采用数学方法建立模型求解。以运筹学的排队论为建模指导思想,采用GPSSW语言对这一动态过程进行模拟,并对模拟结果进行统计分析,结合实际情况采用优化技术对模拟结果作出改进,从而得到最佳的抢收方案。结果表明,该模拟方法适用于解决此类半结构化问题,可为战时铁路运输油料抢收提供有效的决策支持。     

基于保障场的装备保障力量配置优化研究

根据电场的作用机理,提出保障场的概念,从场思维的角度构建装备保障力量配置分析的优化模型;并进一步定量分析与定性判断相结合,提出装备保障力量配置优化的流程,最后结合实例具体分析。研究结果对装备保障的部署决策具有一定参考价值和指导意义。     

战术导弹多学科设计优化

建立了战术导弹多学科系统分析模型,提出了战术导弹多学科设计优化方法.通过系统级总体设计优化和并行的子系统级发动机设计优化的嵌套循环,得到满足战术导弹总体设计指标的最优发动机设计方案,即得到内外弹道相匹配的发动机最优推力时间曲线,实现了战术导弹多学科设计优化,缩短了战术导弹总体和固体推进学科的设计周期.战术导弹设计优化时不仅考虑了导弹战技性能指标要求,而且还考虑了22个典型攻击目标的运动特性,增加了导弹最优设计结果的实用性.