Optimization of transportation requirements in the deployment of military units

Abstract

We study the deployment planning problem (DPP) that may roughly be defined as the problem of the planning of the physical movement of military units, stationed at geographically dispersed locations, from their home bases to their designated destinations while obeying constraints on scheduling and routing issues as well as on the availability and use of various types of transportation assets that operate on a multimodal transportation network. The DPP is a large-scale real-world problem for which analytical models do not exist. We propose a model for solving the problem and develop a solution methodology which involves an effective use of relaxation and restriction that significantly speeds up a CPLEX-based branch-and-bound. The solution times for intermediate-sized problems are around 1 h at maximum, whereas it takes about a week in the Turkish Armed Forces to produce a suboptimal feasible solution based on trial-and-error methods. The proposed model can be used to evaluate and assess investment decisions in transportation infrastructure and transportation assets as well as to plan and execute cost-effective deployment operations at different levels of planning.

A multi-modal discrete-event simulation model for military deployment

“…As for future work, we plan on integrating our simulation software to the optimization model developed by Akgün and Tansel (2007) for use in simulation optimization applications. In addition, we consider adding web-based services for obtaining real-time or near real-time weather information and integrating this into the simulation environment.…”

“…Ground movement is usually conducted in convoys to maintain the unity of the component, and the size of the convoys may vary depending on operational/tactical objectives and limitations. The synchronization of departures of these components from their home bases and their arrival at their designated destinations is dictated by operational requirements, threat level, availability and capacity (lanemeter, seat, volume, weight) of lift assets, and the current conditions of transportation infrastructure (Akgün and Tansel, 2007).…”

“…Specifically, we deal with the Deployment Planning Problem (DPP), defined and thoroughly described first by Akgün and Tansel (2007 …”

CHAC, A MOACO algorithm for computation of bi-criteria military unit path in the battlefield: Presentation and first results

“…17 and 18. This problem is a particular example of a more general logistics problem, the deployment planning problem, 19 which includes all steps necessary to move units from their quarters to their deployment points. As part of it, the problem we are solving would have to take into account constraints other than just those in the final deployment terrain; however, we are not considering them here, just bearing in mind that our method could incorporate them in the future; or the other way round, that the CHAC algorithm could be used as heuristics for a part of the general deployment planning problem.…”

Modelling and solving an m-location, n-courier, priority-based planning problem on a network

“…DPP differs from CPP in major ways in its basic structure and its requirements. We refer the reader to Akgu¨n and Tansel (2007) and Baker et al (1999 and for details on DPP.…”