New Tools for Balancing Theater Combat and Support

This documented briefing presents an overview of tools being developed to help the Army analyze the effects of limitations on the size and speed of its deployments. The ROSE (RAND Operational Support Evaluator) model, a key product of this study, allows simultaneous input of combat and support plans, assesses the feasibility of combat and support plans, and is potentially useful with Army combat models at several Army commands. The authors have identified three general classes of interfaces; the most complex are those integrating ROSE with a combat simulation that employs planning algorithms. The authors have also identified several problems that modelers will face in amplifying the integration of logistics and combat models. For example, the representations of combat and logistics must be compatible in several dimensions that range from the treatment of reception and onward movement to the definition sustainment of policies. Alone, the ROSE model can be used to address important problems; when linked to combat simulation it can become even more useful. Balancing combat and support is just one of many potential applications.