Date of Award

3-11-2011

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Department of Operational Sciences

First Advisor

Pamela Donovan, PhD.

Abstract

The primary purpose of this research effort was to discover the efficiency and effectiveness of the historical hub-to-hub R&R airlift network. This study analyzed the hub-to-hub aircraft efficiency rates and introduced capacity changes in the airlift network with the use of Arena simulation to improve network performance. Furthermore, this study created simple heuristic options for the future airlift framework required to meet USCENTCOM's forecasted R&R transportation demand under the premise of a CY11 country 1 drawdown and an upscale of combat and support forces within country 2. There were several important outcomes of this research effort. First, this study designed the future framework for R&R airlift passenger operations with a focus on leveraging simple heuristics to increase intertheater commercial aircraft utilization to 89.7 percent while also adding four additional weekly sorties in the strategic port to intratheater hub routes. As a result, this study demonstrated that passenger velocity at the strategic port could be increased by 20.6 hours on the average and 24.9 hours at the 90th percentile with a decrease in the transient passenger footprint at the strategic port by 215 passengers on the average. This transient passenger footprint reduction also opens up further opportunities for cost savings by contracting support personnel and facilities at the strategic port for future operations. Finally, this study found that the use of a simple heuristic could increase commercial aircraft seat utilization rates by approximately 10 percent yielding an estimated $26.5M in yearly savings in contract airlift.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-LSCM-ENS-11-03

DTIC Accession Number

ADA540545

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