Proactive Logistics Toolset

An agile US Air Force, if it is to be able to conduct operations in uncertain and unpredictable combat conditions, must be able to anticipate the logistical consequences of changes and/or failures in operational plans, and likewise anticipate the impact of logistical constraints on operations. To address these issues under Phase I, we reviewed technologies, developed requirements, and assessed the feasibility of a Proactive Logistics Toolset which would be able to: 1) support logistic planners in sensing changes in operations having a potential for significant impact on logistics; and 2) support evaluation/development of changes in logistics plans. Under Phase II we plan to develop a full-scope prototype of the Proactive Logistics Toolset (PROLOG) which provides US Air Force logistic planners with decision-making support in three major areas: 1) early detection of operational situations that might impact logistic plans, via the combination of geospatial information technology and rule-based and belief net inferential approaches; 2) decision support to project and determine the expected impact via influence diagrams; and 3) assessment of response options and timely plan adaptations, using argumentation theory tools.