Optimal airfield capacity expansion

Abstract

The US Air Force recently developed the Global Reach Laydown Package (GRLP) concept for expanding the capacity of overseas airfields available for its use during a military operation. The GRLP concept consists of five force modules that can be rapidly deployed to temporarily expand capacities of overseas airfields. These force modules contain personnel and equipment necessary for increasing airfield capacity. To aid in the decision to deploy these modules, this thesis develops integer programming models. These models produce deployment schedules for modules that minimize the weighted combination of capacity shortfalls and the cost of transporting modules to their destinations. Also included is the option to redeploy modules after their initial placement. To illustrate their use, these models were implemented in the General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS) using a sample problem data. Several issues of interest in planning module deployment are also discussed. (AN)