ATSA Selected Studies

Knowledge Management – Theory and Practice

CNA was asked to help design a pilot course to train knowledge management officers. This brief summarizes the content of the course CNA helped develop. Knowledge management examines the most efficient and effective ways to manage and use information tools as well as how to tap into personal knowledge throughout an organization. In addition to trying to provide some working definitions of knowledge management (KM), this work also examines how peoples' communications processes are critical to effective KM and how knowledge management is implemented in the private sector. Finally we also provide an extensive reference section dealing with the subject area of KM for those who seek additional information.

How and Why Manned and Unmanned Aircraft are Different

The goal of this study was to compare two technologically cutting edge aircraft. In a manned aircraft the crew rides in the plane. Unmanned aircraft are controlled by a crew that is on the ground. In this study, CNA analysts compared manned and unmanned aerial vehicles and detailed how and why these aircraft are different from each other.

Integration of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles into the Maritime Patrol Force

As part of ongoing work in the area of patrol and surveillance, CNAwas asked to examine approaches for integrating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into the larger maritime patrol structure. As part of our study we consider the roles and missions that would be assigned to the UAVs, as well as the required command and control, manning, and training requirements.

Applications of Speed in Naval Vessels

The Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Ships asked CNAto show why and when speed in naval vessels is used in the current fleet and in the past. CNA also examined the utility of speed in future operations in the context of Sea Power 21 and the emerging Naval Global concept of operations.

Communications Options for Future Naval Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Future national defense concepts assume a much larger role for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) performing a wide variety of tasks. But before the Department of Defense can assign tasks to the UAVs, an adequate communications infrastructure must exist to support operations. Some of the issues considered in this study include future UAVs' ability to collect, process, and transfer data at the rate required to support operations and how future UAVs might communicate with their ground handlers and disseminate sensor data.

Impact of Post-1998 US Coast Guard Deepwater Mission Demands

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is a multi-mission, maritime, military service. It operates in the nation's ports and waterways, along the coast, and on international waters. Many of its responsibilities are in waters far from shore, or in "deepwater." The USCG uses various assets to carry out its deepwater missions including cutters, helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft. In the late 1990s, the USCG began a unique Deepwater acquisition program to modernize these assets as a systems of systems. The original Deepwater contract was designed to develop a systems of systems to meet the Coast Guard's pre-9/11 missions demands. After September 11, 2001 and the rise of new missions, the USCG asked CNA to assess the impact these events have had and the potential changes in asset requirements.

Technical and Operational Prospect for a Littoral Combat Ship

The study examines the chief aspects of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program in light of experience with past efforts in order to gain a general idea of where major change might be needed.

An Assessment of Southwest Border Enforcement

The U.S. Border Patrol asked CNA analysts to develop a method to model trends in the flow of attempted illegal border crossings, develop a method to estimate the probability that an illegal entry will be apprehended by the Border Patrol, and assess the effect that Border Patrol activity has on the number of illegal entry attempts. To assist in making such an assessment, CNA analysts examined the historical relationship between the number of illegal crossing apprehensions, the level of effort by the Border Patrol, and economic and social conditions that affect the flow of illegal immigrants across the border between the United States and Mexico.

Information Management: Metrics and Tools

To make wise investment choices and prevent widespread technical problems, institutions need information about the normal behavior of network infrastructure and the applications that run on it. Critical performance information includes knowing how often a network goes down, how that affects operations, and the reliability of applications used. CNA looked at the role of information management in the Navy – specifically the procedures, tools, metrics and thresholds used to monitor network performance.

Naval Defense Planning for the 21st Century: Observations from Quadrennial Defense Review-2001

Any large organization periodically reviews its strategic goals to ensure that policies match resources. On a periodic basis the Department of Defense conducts reviews to align strategy, policy, and forces. One such periodic review, mandated by Congress, is the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). As part of our role in QDR-2001, CNA helped the Navy assess and understand the efficacy of their preparation and execution of QDR-2001. We asked and answered questions such as, "Was the Navy's preparation and implementation of QDR effective and why?" The study is designed to help the Navy better plan for the future and to provide recommendations on how the Navy can continue to improve its preparation and execution of future reviews.

Operation Iraqi Freedom: Combat Logistics Force Operations

CNA examined Combat Logistics Force (CLF) operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom and presents initial analysis of CLF replenishment activities during OIF.