Research Catalog

Title

Aggregation, disaggregation, and the 3:1 rule in ground combat / Paul K. Davis.

Author

Davis, Paul K., 1943-

Publication

Santa Monica, CA : Rand, 1995.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Additional Authors

• Arroyo Center
• National Defense Research Institute (U.S.)
• Rand Corporation.
• United States. Department of Defense. Office of the Secretary of Defense.
• United States. Department of the Air Force.
• United States. Department of the Army.

Description

xiii, 34 p. : ill.; 28 cm.

Summary

This report illustrates a number of basic principles about aggregation and disaggregation in combat modeling by working through the mathematics and phenomenology of a concrete example. In the example, simplified ground combat takes place in a number of sectors and subsectors within a theater. The author assumes that combat at some level of detail is dictated by the Lanchester square law then discusses whether an aggregate law, Lanchester or otherwise, applies at the next level up (that is, one with more aggregation and less detail). The answer depends on the ratios of several time scales related to information, decisions, maneuver, and the duration of a breakthrough battle. The author also discusses how the 3:1 rule does and does not apply at different levels of combat.

Subject

Combat > Mathematical models

Note

• "Prepared for the United States Air Force, the United States Army, the Office of the Secretary of Defense."
• "MR-638-AF/A/OSD."

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

ISBN

0833023217 (alk. paper)

LCCN

^^^95039769^

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library