A decision support system for evaluating ranges and airspace

Ranges and airspace for Air Force training purposes are national resources for which the Air Force must present a credible claim. To help the Air Force articulate its aggregate needs, assess the adequacy of its existing assets, and justify new or existing assets, RAND and the Air Combat Command developed an analytic structure containing a joint mission framework, training requirements, infrastructure requirements, and the current infrastructure. RAND also constructed a relational database containing several embedded models that complete parts of the assessment process for range and airspace infrastructure. A graphical user interface (GUI) facilitates user access to the database. These elements collectively (a relational database combined with embedded decision models and GUI) constitute a decision support system for range and airspace. To realize the power and potential of the decision support system, a continuing investment must be made in the human capital needed to maintain and operate it. The decision support system could be expanded to include other range and airspace management information, efficient calculation of other training resource requirements, and requirements and infrastructure from non-Air Combat Command range and airspace users.