Eric A. Beene

Date of Award

3-1998

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Department of Operational Sciences

First Advisor

Jack A. Jackson, PhD

Abstract

In times of ever-tightening military budgets, methodologies are required that can compare the contributions of various systems involved in the warfighting process. While many tools are in use that directly measure the effects of greater numbers of enhanced hardware, and even improved processes, no validated methodology exists to measure elements that contribute to Command, Control, Communications, and Computers (C4); Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR); or to analytically compare these elements with more traditional hardware. This thesis develops a methodology for mathematically quantifying awareness in a military command and control (C2) environment. This methodology begins with the Observe-Orient-Decide-Act Loop to show the connections between levels of command and control, and to show influences. Entropy, in an information theory context, is modified to reflect not only how much is known at any level, but to show how well that information is known, producing a mathematically quantified measure of awareness. The awareness capability for various systems is calculated, and the rate of awareness loss is shown over time. Finally, an awareness curve is developed that shows the awareness of the C2 system throughout the process of attacking a ground target from the air.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-GOR-ENS-98M-02

DTIC Accession Number

ADA342139

Comments

Sourced from DTIC copy of record.

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