An Optimization Algorithm for Missile Defense Planning

Planning for theater missile defense (TMD) is complicated because defense coverage is, in general, dependent upon the location of the attacker's launch sites and not all attackers can cover all targets. In addition, there may be considerable uncertaintyassociated with launch-site locations and stockpiles. An attacker synthesis problem is formulated in which the attacker, with knowledge of the defense deployment, distributes its attackers among its launch sites to maximize damage. The formulationassumes that the attacker must exhaust the interceptor stockpiles covering a given target before it can cause any damage and that the defense uses a subtractive firing doctrine. An algorithm based on the use of Lagrange-multiplier and branch-and-boundtechniques is proposed for the solution of this problem. An important by-product of the solution is a set of constraints on the distribution of attackers to launch sites. These constraints can be used as the basis of an analytical framework fordeveloping joint TMD/attack operations (AO) plans and allocating intelligence resources associated with the intelligence preparation of the battlefield (IPB). The objectives of Phase I are to develop the algorithm and demonstrate its utility in these twoproblem areas, It is anticipated that a new analyical framework will be developed to support planning in the areas of joint BMDS/AO operations and intelligence preparation of the battlefield. This framework could be the basis for developing new planningmodules for the GCCS.