he Center for Operational Analysis (COA) is one of the six Air Force Institute of Technology’s Centers of Excellence. The mission of the COA is to develop and apply state-of-the-art quantitative and qualitative analytical techniques and methodologies to technical, operational, and management problems of Air Force, Department of Defense, and National Level interest. COA builds on AFIT’s strong heritage in graduate education and research supporting defense analysis. With the rapidly evolving missions and challenges facing America’s military forces, the need for quality defense analysis continues to grow throughout the Department of Defense. The expertise and energy of COA’s faculty and students provide unique capabilities to attack tough operational problems and issues. COA is focused on major research application areas such as:

Space / Information Operations (IO)
Logistical / Mobility Analysis
Systems/Operations Analysis
Warfighter Support

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Through the implementation of a number of focused labs (Sensor Fusion, Combat Modeling) under these major research areas, COA will provide tools, methods, and analysis to support and enhance US full spectrum offensive and defensive capabilities. The Board of Directors for the COA has been active since March 2005. Dr. Jacqueline Henningsen, AF/A9 Director, formerly known as US AF Studies and Analysis Agency (AFSAA), chairs the board.

Mission:

• Enhance graduate education by focusing and enabling the quality of faculty and student research strengthening the analytical foundation for Air Force operational and resource challenges.

Vision:

• Provide approaches and solutions to current and future operational and resource issues while developing critical and forward thinking analysts, managers, and leaders