Operations research: applications to military

In World War II Operations Research was first used to effectively help high level decision makers to critically analyze various alternatives which could be fruitfully used to support planning for strategic ground, air, and maritime operations. Such an analysis made by Operations Analysts and Operations Researchers gave the military a carefully researched and focused data and also an analyses that provided not only answers to various questions from the senior commanders but also helped to provide them with insights that would allow them to make more comprehensive and informed plans and decisions.

After the Second World War, the various approaches and techniques used in Operations Research expanded and improved considerably, more so due to the advent of advanced computing techniques. Today, the principles and techniques of Operations Research are being widely used in government, business and industry. Every military across the world continues to use Operations Research from the point of view of improving its Operations Management in various strategies that are deployed.

In this paper, the Application of Operational Research in Military Strategies using Game Theory in various international wars has been discussed. These military strategies were used in the battles fought during World War II between the United States of America and Japan. An analysis has also been made regarding the military strategies used in the Battle of Bismarck Sea which was fought between General Kenney and Admiral Imamura where the strategy used was the zero-sum method of Game Theory. An analysis has also been made of the strategies that were used in The Game of Chickens and The Prisoner’s Dilemma. These were applied in the Cuban missiles crisis which took place during The Cold War period, between the United Stated of America and The Soviets.