Study of relationship between motion of mechanisms in gas operated weapon and its shock absorber

The article deals with the motion of the breech block carrier and the weapon casing of an automatic weapon mounted on a flexible carriage and the base of the weapon.Earlier works,which did not consider the dynamic properties of the base of the weapon,did not allow to reconcile the calculated and experimental results of the weapon casing displacement when shooting from firing rests.For the analysis of the motion of individual parts,the methods of mathematical modelling and firing experiments using a high-speed camera were chosen.Calculations show the best accord with experiment when modelling the system with 4 degrees of freedom.The oscillation of the system regarding the movement of the breech block carrier and the weapon casing was investigated under changed conditions of rate of fire,the use of a muzzle brake and different types of shock absorbers.The velocities and displacements of the weapon casing and the breech block carrier at different values of the impulse of the gases to the breech block carrier were determined.

An Air Defense Weapon Target Assignment Method Based on Multi-Objective Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm

With the advancement of combat equipment technology and combat concepts,new requirements have been put forward for air defense operations during a group target attack.To achieve high-efficiency and lowloss defensive operations,a reasonable air defense weapon assignment strategy is a key step.In this paper,a multi-objective and multi-constraints weapon target assignment(WTA)model is established that aims to minimize the defensive resource loss,minimize total weapon consumption,and minimize the target residual effectiveness.An optimization framework of air defense weapon mission scheduling based on the multiobjective artificial bee colony(MOABC)algorithm is proposed.The solution for point-to-point saturated attack targets at different operational scales is achieved by encoding the nectar with real numbers.Simulations are performed for an imagined air defense scenario,where air defense weapons are saturated.The non-dominated solution sets are obtained by the MOABC algorithm to meet the operational demand.In the case where there are more weapons than targets,more diverse assignment schemes can be selected.According to the inverse generation distance(IGD)index,the convergence and diversity for the solutions of the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm III(NSGA-III)algorithm and the MOABC algorithm are compared and analyzed.The results prove that the MOABC algorithm has better convergence and the solutions are more evenly distributed among the solution space.

A bi-population immune algorithm for weapon transportation support scheduling problem with pickup and delivery on aircraft carrier deck

The weapon transportation support scheduling problem on aircraft carrier deck is the key to restricting the sortie rate and combat capability of carrier-based aircraft.This paper studies the problem and presents a novel solution architecture.Taking the interference of the carrier-based aircraft deck layout on the weapon transportation route and precedence constraint into consideration,a mixed integer formulation is established to minimize the total objective,which is constituted of makespan,load variance and accumulative transfer time of support unit.Solution approach is developed for the model.Firstly,based on modeling the carrier aircraft parked on deck as convex obstacles,the path library of weapon transportation is constructed through visibility graph and Warshall-Floyd methods.We then propose a bi-population immune algorithm in which a population-based forward/backward scheduling technique,local search schemes and a chaotic catastrophe operator are embedded.Besides,the randomkey solution representation and serial scheduling generation scheme are adopted to conveniently obtain a better solution.The Taguchi method is additionally employed to determine key parameters of the algorithm.Finally,on a set of generated realistic instances,we demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms all compared algorithms designed for similar optimization problems and can significantly improve the efficiency,and that the established model and the bi-population immune algorithm can effectively respond to the weapon support requirements of carrier-based aircraft under different sortie missions.

Mission reliability modeling and evaluation for reconfigurable unmanned weapon system-of-systems based on effective operation loop

The concept of unmanned weapon system-of-systems(UWSoS)involves a collection of various unmanned systems to achieve or accomplish a specific goal or mission.The mission reliability of UWSoS is represented by its ability to finish a required mission above the baselines of a given mission.However,issues with heterogeneity,cooperation between systems,and the emergence of UWSoS cannot be effectively solved by traditional system reliability methods.This study proposes an effective operation-loop-based mission reliability evaluation method for UWSoS by analyzing dynamic reconfiguration.First,we present a new connotation of an effective operation loop by considering the allocation of operational entities and physical resource constraints.Then,we propose an effective operationloop-based mission reliability model for a heterogeneous UWSoS according to the mission baseline.Moreover,a mission reliability evaluation algorithm is proposed under random external shocks and topology reconfiguration,revealing the evolution law of the effective operation loop and mission reliability.Finally,a typical 60-unmanned-aerial-vehicle-swarm is taken as an example to demonstrate the proposed models and methods.The mission reliability is achieved by considering external shocks,which can serve as a reference for evaluating and improving the effectiveness of UWSoS.

The Challenges Posed by Autonomous Weapon Systems to Human Rights and Humanitarian Concerns and Relevant Legal Responses

By 2050,autonomous weapon systems may potentially replace humans as the main force on the battlefield,as per predictions.The development of autonomous weapon systems poses risks to human rights and humanitarian concerns and raises questions about how international law should regulate new technologies.From the perspectives of international human rights law and international humanitarian law,autonomous weapon systems present serious challenges in terms of invasiveness,indiscriminate killing,cruelty,and loss of control,which impact human rights and humanitarian principles.Against the backdrop of increased attention to the protection of human rights in China,it is necessary to clarify the existing regulatory framework and fundamental stance regarding autonomous weapon systems and proactively consider and propose countermeasures to address the risks associated with such systems.This will help prevent human rights and humanitarian violations and advance the timely resolution of this issue,which affects the future and destiny of humanity,ultimately achieving the noble goal of universal enjoyment of human rights.

Agent Blue: A Secret Military and Environmental Chemical Weapon Used for Food Denial in South Vietnam during the Vietnam Civil War (1962-1965)

During the last 60 years, the southern Vietnam environment and Vietnamese living in the Mekong Delta have bio-accumulated arsenic from natural and anthropic (Vietnam Civil War (1962-1965)) sources via their drinking water (groundwater from tube wells) and food supply leading to an increasing risk of chronic poisoning over time. A synthesis and analysis of publications and records is presented to document the Republic of Vietnam (RV), the official name of the South Vietnam Government, and United States (US) militaries contribution to arsenic levels and toxic spikes in the Vietnam Mekong Delta groundwater. During the Vietnam Civil War, Agent Blue, in powder form, was shipped to Port Saigon, via the Saigon River, and transported to the Tan Son Nhut Air Force base during the Vietnam Civil War. After the official start of the American-Vietnam War (1965-1973) the tactical herbicides were re-routed to Bien Hoa Air Force base (1965 to 1971). Approximately 3.2 million liters of Agent Blue (468,008 kg As) was sprayed or dumped by the RV military with the assistance and support of the Central Intelligence (CIA), US Army and US Navy, during the 1962-1965 Khai Huang (Hamlet) Program. A portion of an additional 4.6 million liters of Agent Blue (664,392 kg of As) was sprayed between 1962 and 1965 by the US Air Force as part of Operation Ranch Hand and prior to the official start of the American-Vietnam War in August 1964. Operation Rand Hand began in 1962 and ended in 1971. The Institute of Medicine estimated a total of 7.8 million liters (1,132,400 kg As) of Agent Blue was applied to southern Vietnam landscape from 1962 to 1971. This total includes both the 1962 to 1965 RV Khai Huang program with the assistance of the CIA, US Army and US Navy, and the total Agent Blue applied by US Air Force Operation Ranch Hand from 1962 to 1971. The primary objective of this study was to document how Agent Blue, the arsenic-based herbicide, became a secret US military and environmental chemical weapon used by the RV and US militaries in southern Vietnam during the Vietnam Civil War years (1962-1965). This assessment found that the anthropic arsenic, including Agent Blue, added a toxic burden to the Mekong Delta soils, surface water, groundwater, drinking water, food supply, and human health. However, there are missing details regarding political decisions and a full accounting of the geographic locations sprayed and amount of Agent Blue used. Vietnam War Archives have paper correspondence and RV herbicide spray records that shed greater light on this period. These records are over 50 years old and need to be electronically scanned, stored, and made available for additional historical analyses.

Close-in weapon system planning based on multi-living agent theory

The close-in weapon system(CIWS)is a combat system that faces a complex environment full of dynamic and unknown challenges,whose construction and planning require a systematic design method.Multiliving agent(MLA)theory is a methodology for the combat system design,which uses the livelihood degree to evaluate the multi-dimensional long-term operational effectiveness of the system;whereas,there is still no uniform quantization framework for the livelihood degree,and the adjustment methods of livelihood degree need to be further improved.In this paper,we propose the uniform quantization framework for the livelihood degree and detailed discuss the methods of livelihood adjustment.Based on the MLA theory,the multi-dimensional operational effectiveness of the missile-gun integrated weapon system(MGIWS)is analyzed,and the long-term combat effectiveness against the saturation attack is assessed.Furthermore,the planning problem of the equipment deployment and configuration is investigated.Two objectives,including the overall livelihood degree and cost-effectiveness(CE),are proposed,and the optimization method based on genetic algorithm(GA)is studied for the planning problem.

How United States Agricultural Herbicides Became Military and Environmental Chemical Weapons: Historical and Residual Effects

Discoveries in Charles Darwin’s laboratory led to modern herbicides. Darwin discovered the internal mechanism that directed plants to grow toward sunlight and sources of water. Scientists in Europe and America later called this mechanism a plant’s hormone response system. Administrators and scientists, including Dr. Ezra J. Kraus, the Head of the Botany Department at the University of Chicago and a plant physiologist, suggested on the eve of WWII that weed killers had significant military value as chemical weapons. Dr. Kraus obtained access to a synthetic chemical, 2,4-D, and found that when the chemical was absorbed through the leaves of plants, it destroyed a plant’s hormones. After exposure, the plant experienced rapid and uncontrolled growth, and then the leaves shriveled, died and fell off. Dr. Kraus obtained funding for his Department of Botany research program from Department of Defense (DOD) during World War II (WWII). Camp Detrick (Biological Weapons Laboratory) scientists later obtained samples of newly created 2,4,5-T which contained unknown amounts of the by-product dioxin TCDD. In the 1950s and 1960s, Fort Detrick military scientists formulated the herbicide Agent Orange, which was a 50 - 50 mixture of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T. These dual purpose herbicides were used by DOD and USDA. American and European farmers in the 1940s used 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T to eliminate weeds from pastureland and cropland. After WWII, synthetic herbicides (and pesticides) development continued in tandem with production of synthetic fertilizers and breeding of high-yield plant varieties. These new agricultural products were then shipped worldwide to increase crop yields, as part of the Green Revolution. This new system of agricultural technologies was intended to eliminate global starvation and increase food security by increasing field and farm crop yields. In contrast, the goal of military use of herbicides, as chemical weapons, was to defoliate jungle forests and destroy food crops as a strategy to win battles and wars. The primary objective of this research study is to describe how agricultural herbicides became tactical chemical weapons. A current assessment will address the environmental impacts of military and environmental chemical weapons on the United States and Vietnam ecosystems and need for additional dioxin TCDD hotspot clean-up efforts.

The Development of a Knowledgeable Monitoring System for Weapon Equipment

In order to make the combat effectiveness of weapon yield well, it is necessary to maintain and monitor the weapons. Based on the requirement of weapon equipment, an integrated maintaining system is developed, which can be used to carry out the maintenance by using electricity periodically and function detection at module level. So, the breakdown rate of product component is deceased a lot, product reliability is improved, and the life cycle is prolonged. Thus, combat effectiveness of weapon equipment is improved.

Weapon target assignment problem satisfying expected damage probabilities based on ant colony algorithm

A weapon target assignment （WTA） model satisfying expected damage probabilities with an ant colony algorithm is proposed. In order to save armament resource and attack the targets effectively, the strategy of the weapon assignment is that the target with greater threat degree has higher priority to be intercepted. The effect of this WTA model is not maximizing the damage probability but satisfying the whole assignment result. Ant colony algorithm has been successfully used in many fields, especially in combination optimization. The ant colony algorithm for this WTA problem is described by analyzing path selection, pheromone update, and tabu table update. The effectiveness of the model and the algorithm is demonstrated with an example.

Weapons system portfolio selection based on the contribution rate evaluation of system of systems

The weapons system portfolio selection problem arises at the equipment demonstration stage and deals with the military application requirements.Further,the contribution rate of the system is one of the important indicators to evaluate the role of a system,which can facilitate the weapons system portfolio selection.Therefore,combining the system contribution rate with system portfolio selection is the focus of this study.It also focuses on calculating the contribution rates of multiple equipment systems with various types of capabilities.The contribution rate is measured by establishing a hierarchical multi-criteria value model from three dimensions.Based on the value model,the feasible portfolios are developed under certain cost constraints and the optimal weapons system portfolios are obtained by using the classification optimization selection strategy.Finally,an illustrative example is presented to verify the feasibility of the proposed model.

Dynamic Weapon Target Assignment Based on Intuitionistic Fuzzy Entropy of Discrete Particle Swarm

Aiming at the problems of convergence-slow and convergence-free of Discrete Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm(DPSO) in solving large scale or complicated discrete problem, this article proposes Intuitionistic Fuzzy Entropy of Discrete Particle Swarm Optimization(IFDPSO) and makes it applied to Dynamic Weapon Target Assignment(WTA). First, the strategy of choosing intuitionistic fuzzy parameters of particle swarm is defined, making intuitionistic fuzzy entropy as a basic parameter for measure and velocity mutation. Second, through analyzing the defects of DPSO, an adjusting parameter for balancing two cognition, velocity mutation mechanism and position mutation strategy are designed, and then two sets of improved and derivative algorithms for IFDPSO are put forward, which ensures the IFDPSO possibly search as much as possible sub-optimal positions and its neighborhood and the algorithm ability of searching global optimal value in solving large scale 0-1 knapsack problem is intensified. Third, focusing on the problem of WTA, some parameters including dynamic parameter for shifting firepower and constraints are designed to solve the problems of weapon target assignment. In addition, WTA Optimization Model with time and resource constraints is finally set up, which also intensifies the algorithm ability of searching global and local best value in the solution of WTA problem. Finally, the superiority of IFDPSO is proved by several simulation experiments. Particularly, IFDPSO, IFDPSO1~IFDPSO3 are respectively effective in solving large scale, medium scale or strict constraint problems such as 0-1 knapsack problem and WTA problem.

Response surface method using grey relational analysis for decision making in weapon system selection

A proper weapon system is very important for a na- tional defense system. Generally, it means selecting the optimal weapon system among many alternatives, which is a multiple- attribute decision making （MADM） problem. This paper proposes a new mathematical model based on the response surface method （RSM） and the grey relational analysis （GRA）. RSM is used to obtain the experimental points and analyze the factors that have a significant impact on the selection results. GRA is used to an- alyze the trend relationship between alternatives and reference series. And then an RSM model is obtained, which can be used to calculate all alternatives and obtain ranking results. A real world application is introduced to illustrate the utilization of the model for the weapon selection problem. The results show that this model can be used to help decision-makers to make a quick comparison of alternatives and select a proper weapon system from multiple alternatives, which is an effective and adaptable method for solving the weapon system selection problem.

Scenario-based modeling and solving research on robust weapon project planning problems

Weapon project planning(WPP) plays a critical role in the process of national defense development and establishment of the future national defense force. WPP faces the backgrounds of various uncertainties, intense inter-influence of weapon systems and involves modelling, assessment, and optimization procedures.The contents of this paper are mainly divided into three parts: first,the WPP processes are analyzed, and related elements are formulated to transform the qualitative problem to mathematics form;second, the value evaluation model of WPP solutions is proposed based on two criteria of total capability gap and total capability dispersion; third, two robustness optimization models are constructed based on the absolute robustness criterion and the robustness deviation criterion to support the robustness optimization process under multi-scenario. Finally, a case is studied to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed models and approaches.

Weapon configuration, allocation and route planning with time windows for multiple unmanned combat air vehicles

Unmanned combat air vehicles(UCAVs) mission planning is a fairly complicated global optimum problem. Military attack missions often employ a fleet of UCAVs equipped with weapons to attack a set of known targets. A UCAV can carry different weapons to accomplish different combat missions. Choice of different weapons will have different effects on the final combat effectiveness. This work presents a mixed integer programming model for simultaneous weapon configuration and route planning of UCAVs, which solves the problem optimally using the IBM ILOG CPLEX optimizer for simple missions. This paper develops a heuristic algorithm to handle the medium-scale and large-scale problems. The experiments demonstrate the performance of the heuristic algorithm in solving the medium scale and large scale problems. Moreover, we give suggestions on how to select the most appropriate algorithm to solve different scale problems.

Weapon effectiveness and the shapes of damage functions

This paper provides a review of methods of assessing a fragmentation weapon’s effectiveness against a point target or an area target with keeping the focus on the necessity of using the Carleton damage function with the correct shape factor.First,cookie-cutter damage functions are redefined to preserve the shape factor of and to have the same lethal area as the corresponding Carleton damage function.Then,closed-form solutions of the effectiveness methods are obtained by using those cookie-cutter damage functions and the Carleton damage function.Finally,the closed-form solutions are applied to calculate the probability of damaging a point target and the expected fractional damage to an area target for several attack scenarios by using cookie-cutter damage functions and the Carleton damage functions with different shape factors.The comparison of the calculation results shows that using cookie-cutter damage functions or the Carleton damage function with a wrong shape factor results in quite significant differences from using the original Carleton damage function with a correct shape factor when weapon’s delivery error deviations are less than or comparable to the lengths of the lethal area and the aim point is far from a target.The effectiveness methods improved in this paper will be useful for mission planning utilizing the precision-guided munitions in circumstances where the collateral damage should be reduced.

Survey of the research on dynamic weapon-target assignment problem

The basic concepts and models of weapon-target assignment （WTA） are introduced and the mathematical nature of the WTA models is also analyzed. A systematic survey of research on WTA problem is provided. The present research on WTA is focused on models and algorithms. In the research on models of WTA, the static WTA models are mainly studied and the dynamic WTA models are not fully studied in deed. In the research on algorithms of WTA, the intelligent algorithms are often used to solve the WTA problem. The small scale of static WTA problems has been solved very well, however, the large scale of dynamic WTA problems has not been solved effectively so far. Finally, the characteristics of dynamic WTA are analyzed and directions for the future research on dynamic WTA are discussed.

A Multi-UCAV cooperative occupation method based on weapon engagement zones for beyond-visual-range air combat

Recent advances in on-board radar and missile capabilities,combined with individual payload limitations,have led to increased interest in the use of unmanned combat aerial vehicles(UCAVs)for cooperative occupation during beyond-visual-range(BVR)air combat.However,prior research on occupational decision-making in BVR air combat has mostly been limited to one-on-one scenarios.As such,this study presents a practical cooperative occupation decision-making methodology for use with multiple UCAVs.The weapon engagement zone(WEZ)and combat geometry were first used to develop an advantage function for situational assessment of one-on-one engagement.An encircling advantage function was then designed to represent the cooperation of UCAVs,thereby establishing a cooperative occupation model.The corresponding objective function was derived from the one-on-one engagement advantage function and the encircling advantage function.The resulting model exhibited similarities to a mixed-integer nonlinear programming(MINLP)problem.As such,an improved discrete particle swarm optimization(DPSO)algorithm was used to identify a solution.The occupation process was then converted into a formation switching task as part of the cooperative occupation model.A series of simulations were conducted to verify occupational solutions in varying situations,including two-on-two engagement.Simulated results showed these solutions varied with initial conditions and weighting coefficients.This occupation process,based on formation switching,effectively demonstrates the viability of the proposed technique.These cooperative occupation results could provide a theoretical framework for subsequent research in cooperative BVR air combat.

Granular analyzing of weapon SoS demand description

The systematism of weapon combat is the typical characteristic of a modern battlefield. The process of combat is complex and the demand description of weapon system of systems （SOS） is difficult. Granular analyzing is an important method for solving the complex problem in the world. Granular thinking is introduced into the demand description of weapon SoS. Granular computing and granular combination based on a relation of compatibility is proposed. Based on the level of degree and degree of detail, the granular resolution of weapon SoS is defined and an example is illustrated at the end.

Weapons equipment portfolios selection based on equipment system contribution rates

Equipment selection is an essential work in the research and development planning of equipment.The scientific and rational development of weapons equipment portfolios is of considerable significance to the optimization of equipment architecture design,the adequate resources allocation,and the joint combat performance.From the system view,this paper proposes a method of weapons equipment portfolios selection(WEPS)based on the contribution rate of weapon systems,providing a new idea for weapon equipment portfolio selection.Firstly,we analyze the WEPS problem and the concept of the contribution rate under the systems background.Secondly,we propose a combat network modeling method for weapon equipment systems based on the function chain.Thirdly,we propose a WEPS method based on the contribution rate,fully considering the correlation relationships between potential weapons and the old weapon systems by the combat network model,under the limitation of capability demands and budget resources,with the objective to maximally increasing the combat ability of weapon systems.Finally,we make a case study with a specific WEPS problem where the whole calculation processes and results are analyzed and exhibited to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method model.