Numerical determination of the parity-condition parameter for Lanchester-type equations of modern warfare
By: by james G. Taylor and Gerald G. Brown
Contributors: Brown, Gerald Gerard; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Publisher: Naval Postgraduate School
Published: 1977
Place of publication: Monterey, Calif
Language: eng
Number of pages: 23
Subjects: Mathematical models; Tactics; Combat; Games of strategy (Mathematics)
Description: This paper presents a simple numerical procedure for determining the parity-condition parameter for Lanchester-type combat between two homogeneous forces.  The combat studied is modeled by Lanchester-type equations of modern warfare with time-dependent attrition-rate coefficients.  Previous research has shown that the prediction of battle outcome (in particular, force annihilation) without having to spend the time and effort of computing force-level trajectories depends on a single parameter, the so-called parity-condition parameter, which only depends on the attrition-rate coefficients.  Unfortunately, previous research did not show how to generally determine this parameter.  We present general theoretical considerations for its numerical noniterative determination.  This general theory is applied to an important class of attrition-rate coefficients (offset power attrition-rate coefficients).  Our results allow one to study such variable-coefficient combat models almost as easily and thoroughly as Lanchester's classic constant-coefficient model. (Author)
Notes: Title from cover.

"Prepared for: Office of Naval Research"--Cover.

"March 1977"--Cover.

"NPS-55-77-10"--Cover.

Author(s) subject terms: Lanchester theory of warfare, Lanchester parity-condition parameter, generalized Lanchester functions, Lanchester-Clifford-Schafli functions.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 22-23).

"Approved for public release; distribution unlimited"--Cover.

Technical report; 1977.