Handbook of Military and Defense Operations Research

Tracing its roots back to World War II, operations research (OR) has become a vital tool in military and defense strategy. The second edition of the Handbook of Military and Defense Operations Research highlights this evolution, showcasing how OR integrates with cutting-edge areas like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and big data analytics.

This volume is more than a historical account; it is a practical guide. The volume features expert voices and offers insights into OR applications in modern security challenges. Readers will discover a blend of theory and real-world case studies, making it an essential resource for both newcomers and seasoned defense analysis professionals.

Dive into this handbook to explore the rich, dynamic field of military and defense operations research, a discipline at the heart of global security and strategic decision-making.

New to the second edition:

• Reorganized into a three-part structure


• Extensive revisions throughout


• Numerous new exercises, examples, and case studies


• Several new chapters

Praise for the previous edition

Listen to Natalie Scala talking about election security and her book Handbook of Military and Defense Operations Research on Problem Solved, a podcast by IISE here.

?This handbook, edited by Scala (Towson Univ.) and Howard (Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Univ.) comprises four parts. Part 1 presents ten key activities involved in operations research (OR), including mastery of data analytics, structured problem solving, and simulation optimization, among others. Part 2, titled "Soft Skills and Client Relations," explores the practicalities of persuading users to actually implement and test the theoretically developed OR solutions. The third part, "Applications," offers a set of case studies on how various OR techniques and modeling approaches have been applied in different contexts, e.g., cybersecurity, terrorist group activities, and engineering cost and risk management. Part 4, "Perspectives," deals with the relationship between OR and data science, and especially the issues surrounding modernization of OR education within the military to meet its inevitably changing needs both today and in the future. Though the emphasis throughout the book is on specific military issues and applications, the methods and cases discussed would be applicable for use in OR courses offered in nonmilitary institutions. In addition to being a natural acquisition for libraries of military academies, the book would find a readership in the libraries of all institutions where OR courses are offered.?
?CHOICE Review

"The Handbook of Military and Defense Operations Research is an excellent introduction to the application of operations research and analytics techniques to current defense related problems."
?Emeritus Professor Steve Horton, United States Military Academy

"The editors and contributors are a 'who?s who' of operations research professionals in the field of applied national security analytics. This Handbook should occupy a prominent location on every analyst?s bookshelf ? from undergraduate student to senior practitioner ? and its techniques should be in every analyst?s toolkit."
?Brian Morgan, President-Elect, Military Operations Research Society

"This reference book has important papers on all the topics needed for a practitioner of military OR to improve his or her skills toolbox. This book will not collect dust on a shelf. It will be used regularly."
?Professor Robin Dillon-Merrill, Georgetown University

"Scala?s experience and observations inspired her research interests as a professor and recently motivated her decision to write her first book, Handbook of Military and Defense Operations Research[. . . .] The book offers tools and techniques that help transition a person from learning operations research and analytics in school to applying it in a new problem space ? namely, defense. Or, it works vice-versa; the same tools and techniques could help a person who has experience in the military but may not have formal education in analytics."
?Jenna Harrity, Business Dialog, Towson University

"The Handbook of Military and Defense Operations Research will make a great addition to any defense analyst?s library. With contributions from some of the most well-known practitioners and researchers in the defense analysis field, this volume provides a great introduction to modern analytic methods and how they apply to critical problems in national defense."
?Andrew Loerch, Professor and Associate Chair, Department of Systems Engineering and Operations Research, George Mason University