The Middle East, Byzantium, and East Asia Essay Example for Free

The Middle East, Byzantium, and East Asia Essay There were many similarities and differences between Byzantium and the Middle East and East Asia. Both regions were based on religions that were founded by prophets, but Byzantium and the Middle East had religions that were monotheistic, and East Asia did not. They also differed in the fact that the Middle East and Byzantium focused on academic development, and East Asia focused on military development, but were similar because both developed new ways to use projectile weapons. Both East Asia and the Middle East and Byzantium were similar in their use and development of projectile weapons. The Byzantine Empire developed a very powerful, projectile weapon called Greek fire. It was mainly used in naval warfare, and essentially could burn while floating on water for very extensive periods of time. This weapon was exclusive to the Byzantine people and has been lost with them. Gunpowder was also first developed in China. Gunpowder could be used to fuel the first guns, which while simple at the time, were deadly to the rest of the world. This idea spread through trade to the Islamic people, and later the rest of the world, transforming warfare for the rest of time. There were also differences in intellectual development between Byzantium and Mesopotamia and East Asia. For one, Byzantium was more academically advanced, while East Asia was more militarily advanced. The Byzantine Empire focused much attention on architecture. The people there build enormous, beautiful buildings. One of the most famous was the Hagia Sophia. Rome also had many writers who wrote great works of history and poems. East Asia on the other hand was more focused out military advancements. China created gun powder, which was a huge help in stopping nomadic invasions because of the distance cannons could blow. Also steel and iron weapons were made which were very strong. East Asia was also responsible for the creation of the printing press, which made it possible to produce text very quickly and in large amounts, helping communication immensely. There were similarities between the religions of Middle East, Byzantium, and East Asia. The religions in the Middle East, Byzantium, and East Asia, Islam, Orthodox Christianity, and Buddhism, respectively, were all religions that were started by prophets; Islam by Mohammed, Christianity by Jesus Christ, and Buddhism by Siddhartha Gautama. Islam spread very rapidly throughout the Middle East. Islam was the fastest spreading religion during this period. Similarly, Buddhism spread rapidly from its birthplace of India to East Asian countries such as China, Japan, and Korea. In the Middle East and Byzantium, the religions being practiced were strictly monotheistic. In East Asia, they were not. The dominant religion in the Middle East was Islam, a monotheistic faith revealed through the prophet Muhammad. In Byzantium, Christianity, another monotheistic religion, dominated the region. However, in East Asia, there was no monotheistic religion. Instead, the people in this area practiced Confucian traditions and Buddhist customs.

The Current Macro Environment Of South Africa Economics Essay

The Current Macro Environment Of South Africa Economics Essay Politically, the ANC has created 16 years of continuous rule and government stability but uncertainties surround their ability to manage union strikes and a steadily decreasing electorate vote. Economically, GDP is expected to show continuous growth despite a sharp drop in 2009. Business environment remains strong through FDIs although warning signs herald a weakening of the currency in the future. Socially, although economically viable to invest in this country when considering the low costs of entry, South Africas working population presents a lack of skilled labour required by our firm. Technologically, concentrated areas of RD, industry specific knowledge and improving transport infrastructure help to compensate the temporary shortcomings in energy supply. The legal system is generally supportive towards companies with strong regulation and employment laws. Environmentally, SA is an international leader in tackling global warming. It has great potential for producing renewable energy but environmental hazards and heavy reliance on coal for energy should be taken into concern. An extensive PESTLE framework will be used to highlight the major contributing factors that would affect such a strategic move. Political Government Stability The present government, the African National Congress (ANC), has shown relative stability, winning four consecutive elections since the fall of the apartheid in 1994. This has allowed continuous implementation of policies through sixteen years in power, the focus of which has been on improving social integration and employment generation. Source: Datamonitor, Aug 2009 Struggles under Political Unrest Despite strong governance indicators, SA still has much to develop as a democracy. The government is kept under pressure from the rising power of trade unions and an inability to control violent demonstrations. The ANC has also suffered a decreasing share of the electorate vote since first coming into power, receiving 65.9% in the recent 2009 election. Although a near two-thirds majority, commentators argue this is below the important threshold of 66% that allows the party to unilaterally alter the constitution. Implication: Pressure from trade unions may cause wariness in future business investment and a loss in consumer confidence. Economical Corporate Tax Rate There is a basic corporate tax rate of 30.2% of profit for all companies1 as of 2010. Interest Rates The South African Reserve Bank is independent and operates in much the same way as Western central banks, influencing interest rates and controlling liquidity through its interest rates on funds provided to private sector banks.2 Exchange Rates and Trading Unlike other African countries, SA prides itself as an open economy, benefiting from trade liberalization with many blocs3Â  . However, it has been posting a negative balance of payments since 2002. As of 2008, SAs total exports amounted to $96.1 billion, which was considerably higher than the total export value recorded at $83.0 billion in 2007. This has been exacerbated by the surge in inflation since monetary policies implemented in 2000. Recently, inflation has slowed to 6.89% year-on-year in June 2009 from 8.0% y/y in May 2009.4 Implication: An open economy will facilitate the expansion immensely, meaning less red-tape and cost savings. A negative trade balance can be advantageous as it will weaken the exchange rate, lowering costs for our firm. The lowered inflation will also help stabilise the economy. Foreign Direct Investments FDIs are highly valued in SA and the government has further encouraged them through the US ACU Trade, Investment and Development Cooperative Agreement signed in July 2008. This places special attention on customs cooperation, technical barriers to trade and investment promotion.5 Implication: Increases in FDIs will greatly aid entry into the country as these policies will help facilitate external investments such as ours. GDP Trends The GDP growth rate has been less than ideal with a sharp fall in 2009. However it is projected to bounce by 2011 with constant increase in GDP since. The economy is dominated by the services sector, which contributes 65.3% of its total GDP in 2008. 6 Implication: The increase in GDP shows that SAs economy is continually developing and could be a beneficial environment for setting up a company. Socio-cultural Unemployment The apartheid regime has resulted in social aspects wrought with conflicts. Despite high literacy rates and policies to improve this by the ANC, unemployment remains surprisingly high at 24.9%1. Implication: This highlights an underlying problem, which is the severe lack of skilled labor that does much in hindering business growth. High Crime Rate SA also presents a relatively high crime rate. A survey compiled by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime2 ranked South Africa second for assault and murder per capita, and first for rapes per capita. Implication: This results in a potential threat to the safety of both our physical and human capital. Effects of HIV There is also a growing impact of HIV on the supply of skills and productivity. The graph below shows the sources of indirect cost on a firm due to HIV.3 Lack of Skilled Labour More commonly, educated workers are deciding to move abroad, contributing to the rising brain drain and lack of skilled labour. Although there is a net emigration of -0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)4 This is due to the an increasing flow of unskilled labour from neighbouring countries in search of better economic opportunities and does not contribute to the necessary labour force required for the growth of the nation. Implication: This lack of skilled labour will require huge cost on the company in training workers. Technological Infrastructure SA has some of the best transport infrastructure in the world, placed in the top 20 countries for number of airports, length of rail and length of roads1. In the past four years $6.95bn was invested into improving infrastructure. In the next three years capital investment is planned to be $7.52bn to increase capacity for the 2010 World Cup.2 56% of funding in 2009 was used to expand current operations and the remainder was used to upgrade existing infrastructure. Figure 1: Transport Infrastructure Investment (2009)3 Figure 2: Planned Transport Infrastructure Investment (2010)4 Implication: Improving transportation provides potential employees locally, nationally or internationally with reliable and convenient means of transport to the companys location. Energy The energy situation has much to improve with state-owned firm, Eskom, struggling to meet the demand caused by the post-apartheid economic boom5. The industrial sector uses 68% of the supply but it is estimated that savings of up to 60% can be made with low-cost investment6. Alternative means of energy are currently being looked into and Nuclear Power plants have been proposed and could be in place by 2020 if approved.7 Implication: Electricity supply is currently inconsistent but demand side management and planned expansion in the future should solve any problems. Communications Current services are not up to UK standards but broadband is becoming widespread with wireless available in some locations. Fibre-optic cables were laid under the Atlantic Ocean in 2009 by Seacom with the intention of providing high capacity bandwidth linking communities in Southern and East Africa, Europe, and South Asia.7 Implication: International communications are well catered for and services in cities are comparable with UK standards. Research and Development RD with respect to science and technology has been a growing area since 2002 with the Innovation Hub created in Pretoria. It claims to be the leading knowledge-intensive business cluster in South Africa8 creating a community focusing on innovation and knowledge creation. Implication: Locating in an area within the Innovation Hub could provide us with a pool of potential employees with the correct skills, education and backgrounds. Legal Labour Laws SA has strong labour laws especially after the creation of the Labour Relations Act 1995, created to allow consultation between employees and employers to remove discrimination and ensure a diverse labour force. Employment regulations include: Compulsory by law to abide by Minimum Wage guidelines set out by government. These levels vary from sector to sector. The South African Labour Legislation encourages the freedom of collective bargaining. Implication: Structured legal system in place which contains laws to aid our entry into the country. Labour laws are similar to those in which we already operate so only small adjustments are needed to current practices. Intellectual Property Rights SA is currently not a member of the Madrid Union so filing for international trademarks is more complex than most countries. However, they intend to join within the next year. Copyright can only be registered for films, but arises automatically by law under the Berne Convention and applies to all countries that are signatories of it.1 Patents cost between $915 and $1300 initially, with an annual renewal fee of around $130 beginning in year three.2 Patent Co-operation Treaties (PCTs) are available which provides 30 months of international protection in 135 countries. Implication: PCTs allow any costs of patents to be deferred until the domestic countries in which to obtain the patent can be more carefully selected. This additional time also increases the chances of a successful patent application. Starting a Business The process for business setup is as follows: Source: DoingBusiness.org, 2009 Environmental Leader in Climate Change Environmental developments and climate change are issues close to SA. Having hosted the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 20021, the country also follows the Kyoto Protocol and featured prominently at the Copenhagen Conference in 2009. Incumbent President Jacob Zuma has pushed for plans to continue with CO2 reduction of 42% by 2025.2 Implication: Good international relationships with countries such as USA and UK, as well as a reputation in protecting global environments. The Department of Environmental Affairs has also implemented policies to subsidise firms who use renewable energy resources. With the local demand for environmental protection and reassurance of safety from environmental hazards, there are huge incentives for firm to improve energy usages efficiency1. Energy Reserves South Africa heavily relies on coal production for energy, coal providing 88% of total primary energy and 90 % of electricity generation. However, the nation has notable renewable energy potentials3. The country has an overflowing wind resource and the highest levels of solar radiation in the world. The expansion of renewable energy in South Africa is maintained and upheld by the White Paper on Renewable Energy (Nov 2003), which aims to generate 10,000 GWH of renewable energy for final energy consumption by 2013. Implication: The government has actively supported energy production development although some environmental hazards may be detrimental to a suitable working environment. Conclusion Through use of the PESTLE framework, we can conclude that the macro climate of South Africa is generally positive with much potential for expansion. The main areas of weakness found will undoubtedly require further investigations by management. However, breaking into the countrys technology sector can be a success given that the company is fully aware of the obstacles involved.

Analysis of Graph Theory

Analysis of Graph Theory In mathematics and computer science, graph theory is the study of graphs: mathematical structures used to model pair wise relations between objects from a certain collection. A graph is a very simple structure consisting of a set of vertices and a family of lines (possibly oriented), called edges (undirected) or arcs (directed), each of them linking some pair of vertices. An undirected graph may for example model conflicts between objects or persons. A directed graph (or digraph) may typically represent a communication network, or some domination relation between individuals, etc. The famous problem of the bridges of Kà ¶nigsberg, solved by Euler, is viewed as the first formal result in graph theory. This theory has developed during the second half of the 19th century (with Hamilton, Heawood, Kempe, Kirchhoff, Petersen, Tait), and has boomed since the 1930s (with Kà ¶nig, Hall, Kuratowski, Whitney, Erdà ¶s, Tutte, Edmonds, Berge, Lovà ¡sz, Seymour, and many other people). It is clearly related to Algebra, Topology, and other topics from Combinatorics. It applies to and gets motivating new problems from Computer Science, Operations Research, Game Theory, Decision Theory. â€Å"Because of its inherent simplicity, graph theory has a very wide range of applications in engineering, in physical, social, and biological sciences, in linguistics, and in numerous other areas. A graph can be used to represent almost any physical situation involving discrete objects and relationship among them† (Narsingh Deo). The term â€Å"graph† in mathematics has different meanings. There is a graph for the function and relation. Graphs, especially tree graphs and directed graphs appear in the computer and information sciences. Flowcharts for example are directed graphs. A flowchart is a visual representation of an algorithm. It is frequently used in the planning, development and structuring of an algorithm for solving a complex problem. The flowchart is regarded as an essential part of the documentation of any computer translation of the original algorithm (Seymour Lipschutz). There are two commonly used tools to help to document program logic (the algorithm). These are flowcharts and Pseudocode. Generally, flowcharts work well for small problems but Pseudocode is used for larger problems. Flowcharts are used in the design phase of software creation. It specifies the logical flow of a program. The semantics of a flowchart are totally concerned just with control flow-what happens first, and then what happens next, and so on. A flowchart is drawn using a small set of symbols with well-defined meanings. An elongated oval denotes the beginning of the program, where the execution commences. Passage of flow from the beginning, and at later stages, is denoted by edges with directional arrows. A box in the shape of a parallelogram denotes either an input (such as a READ), or an output (such as a PRINT). A rectangle denotes a computational step, such as addition, and a diamond-shaped box denotes a decision step. A diamond usually has one arrow leading in, and two or more leading out, denoting different ways the control can proceed from that point. A diamond is used in cases of decision statements like, If A is more than 7, proceed to multiply B and C; else, divide C and D. Example of flowchart which reads 2 numbers A and B, and prints them in decreasing order after assigning the larger number to BIG and smaller number to SMALL. â€Å"Essential computer mathematics† Seymour Lipschutz, 1987, page 101 A flowchart is a visual representation of sequence of operations performed to get the solution of the problem. They are usually drawn in early stages of programming project. They help with better communication between the programmers and their business customers. The flowcharts are very helpful with understanding complicated problems and programming logic, especially for people who do not work with (or understand) programming and coding. We can say that flowcharts are necessary for better documentation of complex programs. They also work as a guide during the system analysis and program development phase. If we have good flowchart for the programme the maintenance becomes easier, as the programmer can be more efficient in debugging process, as he can clearly see which parts he has to focus on. Flowcharts are also used in industrial and process engineering and management. The Unified Modelling Language (UML) created by the Three Amigos of software engineering borrows some of its basic ideas from the flowchart paradigm, although it is much more sophisticated. Visual Paradigm for UML is a professional tool that supports complete software lifecycle object-oriented analysis, object-oriented design, construction, testing and deployment. The UML modelling software helps to build quality applications faster and better. You can draw all types of class diagrams, reverse or generate code. It allows turning models into Java codes and Java codes into models. Graph theory is also helpful when building databases. Directed graphs (or digraphs) are a special case of graphs that constitute a powerful and convenient way of representing relationships between entities. In a digraph, entities are represented as nodes and relationships as directed lines or arrows that connect the nodes. The orientation of the arrows follows the flow of information in the digraph  ­. Digraphs offer a number of advantages to information visualization, with the most important of them being: comprehensibility the information that a digraph contains can be easily and accurately understood by humans and expressiveness- digraph topology bears non-trivial information. Case of graphical representation of logic rules, digraphs seem to be extremely appropriate. They can offer explanation of derived conclusions, since the series of inference steps in the graph can be easily detected and retraced. Also, by going backwards from the conclusion to the triggering conditions, on e can validate the truth of the inference result, gaining a means of proof visualization and validation. One of the examples can be found in the book â€Å"Automated Data Processing and Computations by David I. Donatoy. It is an example of geographic names database. An algorithm specifies how to quickly identify names that approximately match any specific name when searching the mentioned database. The algorithm identifies matching names by applying an artificial measure of name simplicity. A digraph index enables computer name searches that are carried out within this technique to be fast enough for Web application. The use of digraph index enables name search application to restrict comparisons to a small subset of the database name, speeding up processing. A digraph index lists in digraph sequence all digraphs found in the database of geo ­graphic names. The entry for a particular digraph consists of a set of pointers to all names in the geographic-names database that includes at least one occurrence of that digraph. Once the search-for name has itself been broken down into a list of its unique constituent digraphs, the digraph index can then be used to produce a candidate list containing only those names from the database that include at least one of the digraphs found in the search-for name. In most cases, several names in the candidate list will be referenced more than once (by different digraphs). After sorting the list of can ­didate names (thus, bringing together all occurrences of each particular candidate name), the number of occurrences of each candidate name can be counted. The number of occurrences of a candidate name will be the same as the number of unique digraphs a candidate name has in common with the search-for nam e. This number can be regarded as a first-approximation measure of a names similarity to the search-for name, with larger numbers corresponding to stronger similarity. Computer scientists have developed a great deal of theory about graphs and operations on them. One reason for this is because graphs can be used to represent many problems in computer science that are otherwise abstract. Finding a way to represent the solution to a problem as a graph can present new approaches to solving the problem or even lead directly to a solution derived from graph theory. This sort of technique is often used when discussing algorithmic efficiency and when trying to prove that a certain algorithm is NP-Complete; because many problems involving graphs, such as finding the shortest path to traverse all nodes (the Travelling Salesman Problem), are NP-Complete, if you can find a way to represent a problem as a graph and show that it is analogous to one of the other NP-Complete problems, then you can show the problem you are trying to solve is also NP-Complete, which gives you a hint that the solution will take a great deal of time. Another reason for using graphs is that many problems computers are used to solve involve representing relationships between objects, places, or concepts. Because graphs can be either directed or undirected, they are a flexible method of showing connections. For instance, you can describe who knows who in a room as a collection of nodes, each representing a person, and directed edges, each representing that one person knows another. Because graphs are so often used and because they allow the representation of many problems in computer science, they are a convenient means of expressing problems with which many people are comfortable. This familiarity simplifies the process of creating mental models of problems, which ultimately leads to better problem solving. Because computer science is a young discipline, it played essential role in development of graph theory. Mathematics plays essential role in computer science, as its language defines the generic structures and proves properties of those structures. Computer systems can be very complex and it is very difficult to have a clear picture of all details and keep the overview of the whole system. Computer science has put lots of effort to develop mathematically based frameworks to model computer systems. References: Gibbons, Alan (1985), Algorithmic graph theory, Cambridge University Press http://www-leibniz.imag.fr/GRAPH/english/overview.html http://www.bookrags.com/research/flowchart-wcs/ Brent Daviduck† Introduction to Programming in C++: Algorithms,  Flowcharts and Pseudocode† Narsingh Deo â€Å"Graph theory with applications to engineering and computer science†2004 An augmented directed graph base for application development Dan C. Clarke , 1982 Knoxville, Tennessee David I. Donato â€Å"Fast, Inclusive Searches for Geographic Names Using Digraphs† Chapter 1 of Book 7, Automated Data Processing and Computations, Section A, Algorithms, page 2-3 Quentin Charatan Aaron Kans â€Å"Java in two semesters†, The McGraw Hill, 2006, page 4-7 Seymour Lipschutz â€Å"Essential computer mathematics†, McGraw Hill 1987, page 95-107

Failed Revolutions and Tyrants in Animal Farm Essay -- Animal Farm Ess

Failed Revolutions and Tyrants in Animal Farm Animal Farm, by George Orwell was published in 1945, a crucial time in history because of Stalin’s takeover of the Soviet Union and his exploitation of the centralized communist government. This was in direct contradiction to the expected results of the Russian Revolution. Orwell felt that revolutions fail because the end result is a change of tyrants and not of government. Orwell exemplifies this failure through the goals of the revolution and their failure to meet them, the malfunction of Napoleon and Snowball’s rule together, and Napoleon’s disastrous reign. The goals of the Revolution and the failure to meet them, is one way Orwell exemplifies his philosophy. Before the Revolution, the inhabitants of Animal Farm are ruled by the tyrannical Jones. The animals get fed up with the treatment they are receiving and, at the meeting, Old Major provides a solution, Revolution. Even at this meeting the pigs, including Napoleon, sit close to the front, showing the social classes that already exist. The Revolution plans to overthrow Jones and set up an animal government. Their goals are to be completely self sufficient and not have to rely on humans in any way. These goals are seemingly idealistic but the animals do not achieve these for more than about six months. The reason for this is the pigs becoming corrupt and wanting to break the commandments for their own pleasure. Shortly after the meeting with Old Major, the Revolutio...

Role of Smallpox Vaccine in the Prevention and Treatment of Variola maj

Role of Smallpox Vaccine in the Prevention and Treatment of Variola major and Variola minor Smallpox has claimed the lives of many ever since the Middle Ages. However, it has now been eradicated due in part to a very effective vaccine. The vaccine has saved the lives of thousands and has eradicated the disease in the history of man kind. This miracle vaccine can greatly diminish the effects variola and even stop the disease from becoming fatal. The vaccine is also the only known way to fight the smallpox, and until an antiviral agent is found, it will be humanity’s only defense against this deadly and devastating disease. The pathogenic virus Variola causes the well-known and often deadly virus smallpox. Smallpox has been eradicated for about 25 years, mostly on the part of a successful vaccine. As mentioned earlier, Variola is a virus. There are three forms of the virus that are most prominent: variola, variola hemorrhagica, and varioloid. (2) All these viruses are classified as the cause of smallpox though simulate different symptoms. Any individual with any of these viruses can either have variola major or variola minor. Variola major is the more severe form of smallpox. (2) Unvaccinated patients diagnosed with variola major have a 30-50% fatality rate, while if the same patients had variola minor, they would have a 1-2% chance of death. (3) In vaccinated patients, only 3% of people diagnosed with variola major die. With a few exceptions, no vaccinated patients with the minor form of the disease have died. Smallpox is characterized by a series of symptoms. These symptoms will first occur within 7-17 days after exposure to the virus. (3) The symptoms may include fever, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting or severe muscles ac... ... may have been one of the most influential vaccines ever developed. Its role in the prevention of smallpox has been great. Role of Smallpox Vaccine†¦5 References 1. Center for Disease Control. (2004, December). Smallpox Disease Overview. Center for Disease Control. Date retrieved: July 12, 2005: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/overview/disease-facts.asp 2. Thomas, R. (1907). Variola. The Eclectic Practice of Medicine. Date retrieved: July 21, 2005: http://www.ibilio.org/herbmed/eclectic/thomas/smallpox.html 3. Utah Department of Health: Bureau of Epidemiology. (2002). Smallpox (Variola). Smallpox (Variola). Date retrieved: July 21, 2005: file:///X|/Epidemiology/ELS_old/epidemiology/epifacts/smallpox.html 4. World health Organization. Smallpox. World Health Org. Date retrieved: July 21, 2005: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheet/smallpox/en/print.html

Psychology vs Sociology Essay

Psychology and sociology have their differences and similarities. However, this essay will mainly focus on the differences between their approaches and how they are applicable in the real world. Psychology, fundamentally, is the study of behaviour and of the functions and processes of the human mind, especially relating to the social and physical environment while sociology is defined as the study of social life, social change and the social causes and consequences of human behaviour. Psychologists are more interested with what occurs within people, which includes emotions, perceptions, learning, personality and thinking. Sociologists, on the other hand, mainly focus on what occurs among people. These occurrences could be things such as interpersonal relationships, negotiating conflicts, and the effect of social systems like education and politics on personal and group behaviour (Benokraitis, 2009). Psychology focusses on the human mind and how and why people think and behave they way they do. Sociology examines groups of people, communities, societies and even nations. They might research on things such as changes in population, effects of events on entire communities and culture. One way to look at it is that psychology is more about the individual or small groups and sociology is more about larger groups of people such as communities, societies. While the difference is significant, these two sciences do have similarities as well as an intersection between them. They are both beneficial to the society and see etiology, the study of causation or origination, as of great importance (Ellis, 2010). There is also a sub-field in psychology known as social psychology that is a discipline which uses scientific methods â€Å"to understand and explain how the thought, feeling and behaviour of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined and implied presence of other human beingsà ¢â‚¬  (Gordon Allport, 1985). Social psychology looks at a wide range of social topics, including group behavior, social perception, leadership, nonverbal behaviour, conformity, aggression, and prejudice. It is important to note that social psychology is not just about looking at social influences. Social perception and social interaction are also vital to understanding social behavior. Prev Page Next Page

How Titan Armoured Vehicle Launch Bridge Can Benefit Indonesian Army Engineers

AN ESSAY ON HOW TITAN ARMOURED VEHICLE LAUNCH BRIDGE CAN BENEFIT INDONESIAN ARMY ENGINEERS By Captain Yaenurendra Hasmoro Aryo Putro INTRODUCTION 1. Several characteristics of Indonesia’s environment seem to be considerable in determining the role of Indonesian Army Engineers (IAEs). Firstly, terrain that is predominantly seashore area with lots of volcanoes on every big island. Secondly, the large number of rivers in Indonesia including around 500 both large and small.Thirdly, the high risk of natural disasters caused by 128 active volcanoes and the location of its islands ‘on the edges of the Pacific, Eurasian and Australian tectonic plates’. Those three characteristics combine to give irregular but frequent supporting tasks for IAEs whether in calm normal situations or chaotic post-disaster evacuation ones. Many of these requirements need to be met only with bridging efforts. Hence, it is logical to deduce that Indonesian military engineers need a strong, yet r apid capability in bridging.One of the options is to possess a quantity of Titan Armoured Vehicle Launch Bridge (Titan AVLB). 2. This essay will briefly nominate the prerequisite of utilizing Titan AVLB as one of the main bridging vehicle in IAEs. CURRENT BRIDGING CAPABILITIES 3. The main task with which IAEs are burdened is to support the manoeuvre of infantries in the battlefield including to facilitate either river/lake or other gap crossing . Even, in the peace time IAEs frequently play a role in supporting low level development of the country as well as to contribute to rehabilitation efforts in disasters.To carry out this particular function, IAEs are equipped with three kinds of bridging systems: Bailey bridge, Acrow panel bridge, and pontoon bridge. Most of the combat engineer Battalions are resourced with Bailey bridges. Only a small number of battalions have the resources of Acrow panel bridges. Meanwhile, pontoon bridges can be found only in the training centre. Whilst th ose structures have been used effectively in many situations, nevertheless, there are several short-falls. The mentioned bridging structures are all heavyweight ones. For example, it needs more than 34 tonnes of materials to construct a triple-single Bailey ridge which can only connect 22 metres gap. The next problem is in transporting such a heavy materials. Another difficulty is with the time consumed and man power required to erect these bridge structures. The process of launching either a Bailey or Acrow panel bridges would previously take up to 1 platoon of soldiers to push the panels one by one. Nowadays, powerful heavy equipment (dozer, crane, etc) can be employed. Also, whilst the heavyweight problem is not the case for pontoon bridges, nevertheless, time and manpower are still complexities. 4.Facing this set of disadvantages, it seems that there has been little research published on the effort to substitute or at least strengthen the bridging capability of IAEs. Even in the training centre, other options of alternative bridge system are not yet introduced. SUITABILITY OF THE TITAN ARMOURED VEHICLE LAUNCH BRIDGE (AVLB) 5. AVLB is an armoured vehicle equipped with a set of folded bridge spans that can be launched and retrieved mechanically. There are various types of AVLB used by several countries. The focus in this essay will be on the Titan AVLB which is a most recent type. . The Royal United Kingdom Engineers (RE) is one of the national institutions using Titan AVLB. The RE explain that the Titan AVLB is modified from the ‘Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank (MBT) chassis’. This kind of bridge was drafted to connect up to 60 metres of space by laying an assortment of three close support bridges. The AVLB operates in improved ‘ground manoeuvre formations’ which will enable dealing with an assortment of earth terrain. The other important thing is the short time required to lay the bridges. This vehicle can launch bridge no. 10 (26 m etres) in two minutes.It can also carry and lay two of no. 12 bridge (13. 5 metres) in 90 seconds. 7. Pictures and specification of the Titan AVLB are shown below. Titan Armoured Vehicle Launcher Bridge (AVLB) Specifications Weight (Estimated)62,500kg CarriesCarries BR-90 Close Support Bridges: No. 10 (length 26 m, span 21-24. 5 m); No. 11 (length 16 m, span 14. 5m); & No. 12 (length 13. 5 m, span 12 m) Road Speed59kmh Road Range450kms Enginecomprises Perkins CV12 diesel engine, David Brown TN54 enhanced low-loss gearbox and the OMANI cooling group: Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) is also fitted Engine Power1,200bhpCrew3 Armament1 x 7. 62mm machine gun, Stowage for crew man-portable Light Anti-Tank Weapons, Fitted with NBC protection system. THE ADVANTAGES FOR IAEs 8. the capabilities and the specifications of the Titan AVLB are clearly apparent in the above table and explanation. The obvious deduction is that several advantages will be appreciated by anyone who utilizes this vehicle. I am optimistic that after graduating from the Capability and Technology Management Course (CTMC), I may be able and to access and to conduct further detailed research on this matter.Nevertheless, at the moment even given the limited scope of this paper, it is clear at least there are three advantages to discuss in term of benefits for IAEs by utilizing Titan AVLB. 9. One good point to start with is the ability of this vehicle to move by itself. The 62. 5 tonnes of weight can not be considered as light, however, since the vehicle can move easily and relatively fast, weight is no longer a problem. Even the transportation problem presented with Bailey, Acrow panel, and pontoon bridges is eliminated by this vehicle.This beneficial fact negates the requirement to use another vehicle and subsequently saving some amount of fuel and costs. 10. The second benefits can be identified is the minimum use of manpower. It is explicitly written in the specifications that this magnificent vehicle can be manned by only three personnel. For this reason, human resources in a company of engineers for instance, can be managed more efficiently and can undertake more parallel tasks. Particularly in a disaster relief, military personnel are vital to be involved in both evacuation and rehabilitation efforts. 1. The last but not least, the perfect integration of this equipment’s ability to operate on almost all terrain along with its rapid launching and retrieving, will be very valuable in providing assistance during periods of disaster relief especially when the permanent bridge facilities may have collapsed or are not in order. Subsequently, evacuation could be undertaken faster, more lives could be saved. In addition, the quick launch of the bridges will also assist the government as well as other concerned parties in conducting the rehabilitation process. CONCLUSION 2. The Titan AVLB is a heavy duty engineering vehicle which can move by itself, carrying a set of bridges which are ready to be launched within minutes, and operated by not more than 3 personnel. Its combination of advantageous capabilities is highly suited for IAEs in order to meet the challenges presented by the Indonesian environment, both in normal daily situations and post-disaster evacuation and rehabilitation periods. BIBLIOGRAPHY ‘Armoured Vehicle Launch Bridge’, Wikipedia, 6 November 2010 at 22:51, viewed on 21 November 2010, < http://en. wikipedia. rg/wiki/Armoured_vehicle-launched_bridge> Central Intelligence Agency, ‘The World Factbook†, in Central Intelligence Agency, Oct 05, 2009 10:49 AM, viewed on 21 November 2010, . Partnership for Disaster Reduction South-East Asia Phase 4, ‘Monitoring and Reporting Progress on Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction in Indonesia’, in Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, April 2008, viewed on 21 November 2010, The Royal Engineers, ‘Titan Armoured Vehicle Launcher Bridge (AVLB)’, The Bri tish Army, viewed 19 November 2010, < http://www. armedforces. co. uk/army/listings/l0062. html>