Date of Award
3-2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Department of Operational Sciences
First Advisor
Brian J. Lunday, PhD
Abstract
This research models and analyzes the ability of commercial cargo UAVs to rapidly evacuate logistics from an airfield to proximal, outlying destinations, particularly in the USINDOPACOM AOR. This is a tenet of Agile Combat Employment by the USAF, which seeks to mitigate the effect of kinetic threats by near-peer adversaries. The analysis sets forth a binary linear program to minimize the total time to evacuate a fixed amount of logistics from an airfield. Parameters include the cargo UAV with its performance specifications, number of cargo loading points at the airfield, number of destinations for cargo evacuation, and subset of destinations for refueling. Model constraints ensure the integrity of cargo packages to a common destination when transported on multiple cargo UAVs; require that the destinations be utilized relatively equally; prevent multiple cargo UAVs from occupying a loading point simultaneously, and route cargo UAVs to refueling-capable destinations as needed. The CPLEX solver typically identified optimal solutions to moderately sized instances within five minutes. Analysis over a variation of cargo UAVs and instance parameters informed relevant insights for the problem and demonstrated a viable process that, when parameterized for a specific operational instance, can directly inform cargo UAV acquisition decisions and their employment for this operational concept.
AFIT Designator
AFIT-ENS-MS-24-M-074
Recommended Citation
Chedzoy, Maria C., "Evaluation of VTOL-Capable Cargo UAVs for Dispersible Airfield Logistics in the USINDOPACOM AOR" (2024). Theses and Dissertations. 7709.
https://scholar.afit.edu/etd/7709
Comments
A 12-month embargo was observed for posting this work on AFIT Scholar.
Distribution Statement A, Approved for Public Release. PA case number on file.