Abstract
The purpose of this undergraduate thesis in the fields of Russian Studies and Mathematics at the College of Wooster is to construct a combat model in order to analyze a mock-combat scenario between Soviet Spetsnaz and Afghan Mujahideen with the addition of United States Special Forces. Following a thorough background exploration of both Soviet and U.S. special operation forces, and subsequently an analysis of Soviet-Afghan relations, a fictional, yet based on an actual account, raid of an Afghan government post sets the stage for the model. After using Lanchester’s Square Law to create both a deterministic and stochastic model of combat, the program constructed provides results for the combat scenario based on the parameters provided for force size, fighting effectiveness, intelligence, and local population.
Advisor
Moynihan, Matthew
Second Advisor
Lyles, John
Department
Mathematics; Russian Studies
Recommended Citation
Sessa, Zachary M., "The Soviet War in Afghanistan and the Application of U.S. Special Forces: a Combat Analysis" (2014). Senior Independent Study Theses. Paper 5763.
https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy/5763
Disciplines
Numerical Analysis and Computation | Ordinary Differential Equations and Applied Dynamics | Slavic Languages and Societies | Statistical Models
Keywords
Russian, mathematics, combat analysis, stochastic, deterministic, Afghanistan, Russia, special operations, spetsnaz, Mujahideen, differential equations, modeling
Publication Date
2014
Degree Granted
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type
Senior Independent Study Thesis
© Copyright 2014 Zachary M. Sessa