A multi-agent environment for department of defense distribution

Abstract

The United States Department of Defense (DoD) requires an effective, economic method for utilizing the available distribution system to move its personnel, equipment and supplies in support of military operations world wide. Recent reductions in the DoD budget have placed a premium on leveraging technologically innovative solutions to accomplish this requirement. This paper examines the integration of cooperative autonomous computational agent technology with cost effective Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications capability. Under this concept, Intelligent Agents (IA) would be developed and integrated into the spectrum of transportation actions DoD wide. The IA would be divided into two categories, static (attached to intermodal sites) and mobile (attached to shipments). The IA act as economic competitors in routing the shipments through the DoD transportation network. The result being effective and efficient transportation of goods and personnel for both routine operations and unforeseen contingencies. The global communication system offered by the LEO satellites would be used to track shipment status and continually update the shared intermodal knowledge base.