Research Summaries

Back Analysis of Connector Usage to Support Amphibious Operations

Fiscal Year 2018
Division Research & Sponsored Programs
Department Naval Research Program
Investigator(s) Atkinson, Michael P.
Lin, Kyle Y.
Sponsor NPS Naval Research Program (Navy)
Summary The MAGTF creates a highly capable amphibious force able to conduct operations from a seabase (ships) without the requirement of a land staging base. The MAGTF transports the materiel and personnel from the seabase to the shore via transport assets called connectors. Creating a schedule for the connectors is an arduous process due to the elevated risks and constraints of ship-to-shore movement. Consequently, amphibious planners frequently become consumed with sustainment operations for forces ashore, especially in a distributed operating environment. This project aims to formulate models and algorithms to significantly streamline the planning cycle of resupplying amphibious units ashore.
Previous work by the proposing group focused on just transporting fuel ashore efficiently via connectors in a MEU scenario. That work produced a minute-by-minute schedule of connectors from the seabase to shore. We plan to extend our previous work to incorporate other types of supplies, including personnel, vehicles, and pallets. This adds several layers of complexities. First, it is no longer sufficient to just specify the times when a connector leaves a ship and returns, since we also need to know how the connector’s cargo space is allocated across the various supply categories. Second, we need to take into account the priorities among these supply categories. Is it more important for fuel or vehicles or personnel to arrive on time?
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