A System Dynamics approach for integrated decision making optimization of maintenance support system

To cope with dynamics and uncertainties of maintenance spare parts in battlefield and optimize global decisions of information-based armament maintenance support system, a two-stage system dynamics simulation model for integrated decision making is presented. Resource consumption is analyzed first and feedback loop structure is built using loop dominance analysis method. By enactment and adjustment of the main parameters, maintenance solutions under different demand patterns that resource points may be confronted with in wartime are simulated. Key loops that affect system behaviors are analyzed. And by adding a dynamic control function, the system structure is redesigned. The proposed approach can help decision makers to identify key information flow in support chain, and be useful in redesigning the framework of the system to minimize total operating cost over a wartime period, and thus update capacity of military maintenance support system.