Maximizing Flexibility in Air Force Weapon Procurement

Defence policy-making has to be set against an uncertain—indeed unpredictable—future. Given this uncertainty surrounding future conflict, air forces play an important part because of their inherent flexibility to undertake a variety of roles. This paper describes the assistance given to the Air Staff in deciding what mix of air-delivered weapons should be stockpiled to provide the RAF with this flexibility, subject to budgetary and other constraints. It is a simple application of linear programming with an unusual objective function. A number of alternative approaches are reviewed, and the rather pragmatic way in which various decisions regarding the conduct of the study were made is discussed.