Title: Analysing the resilience of military supply network and simulation against disruptions

Authors: Qingzhong Zhou; Biao Xiong; Bixin Li; Jin Huang; Sixi Lu

Addresses: Department of Oil Application and Management Engineering, Logistical Engineering University, 401311 Chongqing, China ' Department of Oil Application and Management Engineering, Logistical Engineering University, 401311 Chongqing, China ' Department of Oil Application and Management Engineering, Logistical Engineering University, 401311 Chongqing, China ' Department of Oil Application and Management Engineering, Logistical Engineering University, 401311 Chongqing, China ' Department of Oil Application and Management Engineering, Logistical Engineering University, 401311 Chongqing, China

Abstract: In this paper, we study the effectiveness of military supply systems in complex and uncertain environment from the perspective of complex network topologies. Our goal is to provide insights on how to explore military supply networks and analyse the networks' resilience against different disruptions. We first propose an analysis process of the resilience for military supply networks. Then, we present two military supply growth models - key units priority (KUP) growth model and cost minimisation priority (CMP) growth model based on real military supply activities, which can be used to generate two military supply networks. We also present a new taxonomy of resilience metrics for military supply networks. Through computer simulation, we find that KUP supply network has poorer resilience against targeted disruptions but higher supply efficiency compared with other networks. While the connectivity of demand nodes in CMP supply network has better adaptability, it is of lower supply efficiency against both random and targeted disruptions. Through analysis, we can provide decision-makers with references when they choose supply patterns and deploy logistics defence forces.

Keywords: military supply networks; supply growth modelling; network resilience; network disruptions; logistics defence forces; simulation; key units priority; cost minimisation priority; taxonomy; resilience metrics; targeted disruptions; supply efficiency; adaptability; random disruptions; military supply chains; supply chain management; SCM.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESMS.2016.077648

International Journal of Engineering Systems Modelling and Simulation, 2016 Vol.8 No.3, pp.195 - 204

Accepted: 04 Apr 2015
Published online: 12 Jul 2016 *

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