Game Theoretic Resource Allocation in a Coalition

Military / Coalition Issue

In a coalition environment it makes sense to be able to share any available computing resources between the coalition members in order to help achieve the best overall outcome.

Core idea and key achievements

By using a game theoretic approach to resource demands and allocation we can show that we can achieve an allocation of resources among the partners, that is both Pareto optimal, and stable.

Implications for Defence

This solution potentially allows partners with varying computing resource capabilities and differing task objectives to rapidly form coalitions and a shared capabilities, by offering up any spare resource capacities that they have to the wider group, such that they can be made use of by those in need. The information shared to do this can be in an abstracted form so as not to compromise full details of national capability.

Readiness & alternative Defence uses

While the theoretical research is low TRL, this has been modelled in software and demonstrated at DAIS AFM 2019.

This concept aligns well with programs such as the NATO Protected Core Network (PCN) and Future Mission Network (FMN) where coalitions can potentially utilise shared networks.

Resources and references

Zafari, F., Leung, K., Towsley,D., Basu, P., Swami, A., Li, J., & Conway-Jones, D. (2019). “Demonstration of Game Theoretic Resource Allocation in a Coalition”. AFM 2019.

Organisations

Imperial, UMass, Raytheon BBN, ARL, IBM UK