A novel modeling approach for express package carrier planning

Express package carrier networks have large numbers of heavily‐interconnected and tightly‐constrained resources, making the planning process difficult. A decision made in one area of the network can impact virtually any other area as well. Mathematical programming therefore seems like a logical approach to solving such problems, taking into account all of these interactions. The tight time windows and nonlinear cost functions of these systems, however, often make traditional approaches such as multicommodity flow formulations intractable. This is due to both the large number of constraints and the weakness of the linear programming (LP) relaxations arising in these formulations. To overcome these obstacles, we propose a model in which variables represent combinations of loads and their corresponding routings, rather than assigning individual loads to individual arcs in the network. In doing so, we incorporate much of the problem complexity implicitly within the variable definition, rather than explicitly within the constraints. This approach enables us to linearize the cost structure, strengthen the LP relaxation of the formulation, and drastically reduce the number of constraints. In addition, it greatly facilitates the inclusion of other stages of the (typically decomposed) planning process. We show how the use of templates, in place of traditional delayed column generation, allows us to identify promising candidate variables, ensuring high‐quality solutions in reasonable run times while also enabling the inclusion of additional operational considerations that would be difficult if not impossible to capture in a traditional approach. Computational results are presented using data from a major international package carrier. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2008     

战役炮兵火力毁伤筹划中“直接计算法”的应用

我军兼收俄、美火力毁伤理论之优长,依据我军编制体制、武器装备和作战原则,运用科学的数据和算法,创建了具有我军特色的战役炮兵火力毁伤理论。基于直接计算的目标选择方法,分别对直接计算目标选择方法的基本思路、主要优点和实施过程进行了论述。该计算方法较好地解决了针对具体目标如何进行兵器弹药需求量计算的问题,使战役炮兵火力毁伤筹划方法更具科学性。     

SEAD场景异构无人机配置与任务规划联合优化方法

对敌防空压制(suppression of enemy air defenses, SEAD)场景是多无人机协同的典型应用,针对该场景特点,在任务规划问题基础上将各类型无人机数量也作为决策变量,充分表征目标、任务和无人机的多种约束,建立异构无人机编队路径问题模型。设计了双层联合优化方法求解该模型：上层设计了任务衔接参数指标,精确评估各类型无人机需求,指导无人机配置调整;下层设计了改进遗传算法,高效处理多类型约束并能结合无人机数量变化对任务方案进行精细调整;双层相互协调获得满足需求的无人机配置和执行方案。仿真结果表明,该方法可以在避免遍历无人机配置组合的前提下获得合理的无人机配置方案和高效可行的执行方案。     

Success and failures of the Gripen offsets in the Visegrad Group countries

The Soviet-led Council for Mutual Economic Assistance member, Central European countries found themselves in a difficult political and economic situation after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Three post-Eastern Bloc countries formed the Visegrad Group to strengthen their ties to the West, but the need for foreign investment, job creation and technology transfer was urgent.

This is when military modernisation also came into the picture and the counter-trade—as known as offset—as a tool to help these economies. A trade practice which was meant to energise these economies via defence acquisitions linked economic programmes.

Two Visegrad Group member countries, Hungary and the Czech Republic decided to sign offset agreement with the defence firm SAAB to license Gripen fighter aircrafts. This study intends to analyse if these deals were able to help governments to reach their objectives or the two countries were unable to take advantage of the offset programmes.