Network methods as a tool for defence analysis

Many problems encountered in the defence sector and other OR areas arise because of an inadequate understanding of a system's structure, be it a social grouping, a system of communication nodes or a highly complex and evolving system such as the World Wide Web. Network Analysis is an emerging analytical tool that is amenable to these sorts of problems. This article aims to raise awareness within the OR community of the potential uses of network methods, focusing primarily on their application to defence related problems such as terrorism, national infrastructure vulnerability assessment and the configuration of our armed forces.