Optimal routing of battle group VERTREP assets

Abstract

During battle group operations ships regularly require the transfer of material and personnel. The VERTREP of personnel and high priority cargoes is accomplished by logistics helicopter. This study describes an implicit enumeration algorithm to schedule the delivery route for a single helicopter. The algorithm employs a depth first search technique to solve the multiple constraint, multiple time window routing problem. Several fathoming techniques are demonstrated and computational results for eleven ship battle groups are presented.