Decision Support for Aircraft and Munitions Procurement

The annual decision on how much of the Air Force procurement budget should be spent on the many different aircraft and how much on the many different munitions is of great interest to many people. How the Air Force staff develops information to support the decision has changed over the years. Currently, a linear program is being used by the Air Force Center for Studies and Analyses and is being tested by the Munitions Division of the Plans and Operations Directorate (AF/XOXFM) for munitions trade-off analyses. The LP uses existing data and estimates on (1) aircraft and munition effectiveness, (2) target value, (3) attrition, (4) Aircraft and munition costs, and (5) existing inventories of aircraft and munitions. Other factors considered are weather and the length of the conflict. Enhancements currently being implemented include attrition changes as a function of time and the distance the aircraft must fly.