Thesis (M.A.)--Brandeis University, 2008. / Title from IR (viewed on May 29, 2009). Includes bibliographical references.

Habilitation--Universität, Frankfurt am Main, 2003. / Series name and numbering written onto page facing t.p. Includes bibliographical references and index.

The high costs and political tensions associated with Ballistic Missile Defense Systems (BMDS) has driven much of the testing and evaluation of BMDS to be performed through high fidelity Modeling and Simulation (M&S). In response, the M&S environments have become highly complex, extremely computationally intensive, and far too slow to be of use to systems engineers and high level decision makers. Regression models can be used to map the system characteristics to the metrics of interest, bringing about large quantities of data and allowing for real-time interaction with high-fidelity M&S environments, however the abundance of discontinuities and non-unique solutions makes the application of regression techniques hazardous. Due to these ambiguities, the transfer function from the characteristics to the metrics appears to have multiple solutions for a given set of inputs, which combined with the multiple inputs yielding the same set of outputs, causes troubles in creating a mapping. Due to the abundance of discontinuities, the existence of a neural network mapping from the system attributes to the performance metrics is not guaranteed, and if the mapping does exist, it requires a large amount of data to be for creating a regression model, making regression techniques less suitable to BMDS analysis. By employing Nested Neural Networks (NNNs), intermediate data can be associated with an ambiguous output which can allow for a regression model to be made. The addition of intermediate data incorporates more knowledge of the design space into the analysis. Nested neural networks divide the design space to form a piece-wise continuous function, which allows for the user to incorporate system knowledge into the surrogate modeling process while reducing the size of a data set required to form the regression model. This thesis defines nested neural networks along with methods and techniques for using NNNs to relieve the effects of discontinuities and non-unique solutions. To show the benefit of the approach, these techniques are applies them to a BMDS simulation. Case studies are performed to optimize the system configurations and assess robustness which could not be done without the regression models.

The aim of this dissertation is to show how counter missile tactics for a fast attack craft armed with missiles [FAC(M)] against a surface-to-surface, fireand- forget missile [SSM] can be optimised. As a result the ship and missile will be modelled as generic concepts while the environment will be a chosen area of operations. The applicable methodology is to simulate the ship, missile and environment as well as the interactions between them. At the same time, the ship will be carrying out combinations of five separate missile counter measures. The methodology is then to build a dynamic simulation model to optimise soft kill tactics by a generic F AC(M) against a generic SSM in the chosen environment and evaluate the outcome of the simulation by viewing the experiment as a 25 factorial design and to analyse it accordingly. / Operations Research / M.Sc. (Operations Research)

This is a historic structure report for the C-47 Nike missile launch site in Wheeler, Indiana. This report provides a description, condition assessment, and recommendation for restoration of the site since it has sustained damage from weather, fire, and vandals. The site is listed on the State Register and National Register of Historic Places and the Nike Preservation Group desires to turn the site into a Cold War museum and memorial.A history of the Cold War and development of the Nike missile systems and C-47 site provides the background of the project. Each structure and feature is described and the condition recorded. Recommendations for treatment and maintenance are provided. Suggestions are made for a phased restoration of the site to accommodate a Cold War museum. Since it is recommended the site be open to the public, issues regarding public health, safety, security, and handicap accessibility are addressed. This project does not provide a full management and preservation plan, measured HABS/HAER drawings, or a structural analysis. / Department of Architecture

The official reaction of the Russian Federation and of the People's Republic of China to the announcement made by the United States in December 2001 to abrogate the almost thirty years old Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty has been remarkably weak, given their sustained and coordinated opposition to the deployment of strategic defences against ballistic missiles (BMD). Because the existing literature, particularly balance of power theory, under-explored this puzzle and fails to provide a satisfactory explanation to it, a neoclassical realist model building on structural and unit-level variables is proposed to supplement this caveat. It is argued that Russia, as a stagnant great power experiencing trouble at the domestic level, bandwagons with the United States because it discounts the medium- and long-term threat posed by BMD. China, a rising developmental state, is soft balancing because it resents the project and the threat it poses to its security. It has not hard balanced so far because there is an acknowledgement that this could jeopardize its power base, as the telling example of the USSR collapse illustrated.

The aim of this dissertation is to show how counter missile tactics for a fast attack craft armed with missiles [FAC(M)] against a surface-to-surface, fireand- forget missile [SSM] can be optimised. As a result the ship and missile will be modelled as generic concepts while the environment will be a chosen area of operations. The applicable methodology is to simulate the ship, missile and environment as well as the interactions between them. At the same time, the ship will be carrying out combinations of five separate missile counter measures. The methodology is then to build a dynamic simulation model to optimise soft kill tactics by a generic F AC(M) against a generic SSM in the chosen environment and evaluate the outcome of the simulation by viewing the experiment as a 25 factorial design and to analyse it accordingly. / Operations Research / Operations Management / M.Sc. (Operations Research)

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