The VP readiness system : correlating resources to performance

Abstract

For the last 45 years, Maritime Patrol Aviation (MPA) or Vp, as it has come to be known, has played a critical role in the nation's defense. VP squadrons are among the few military assets which encounter Soviet forces daily through their ocean surveillance and missions. This thesis analyzes the current VP readiness system as a method for efficient and effective allocation of resources. It traces the funding for VP squadrons and discusses the training background of individual crews and their specific crew members. It describes the entire military readiness system and how the VP readiness system, as it is used today, relates to this system. The thesis develops a model to illustrate the relationships between resource usage and readiness within the VP community. Although several approaches to validate the current VP readiness system were made using this model, only limited significant relationships were found. Recommendations to improve the current VP readiness system are made based on the results obtained in testing the model.